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Kids Matter: Improving Outcomes for Children in Washington State

Building Partnerships to Build Better Systems: Kids Matter,

Strengthening Families, and Mental HealthEarly Childhood Comprehensive

Systems Partners MeetingMarch 13, 2008

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Who we are

• Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Grant – in WA part of a partnership called Kids Matter: Lorrie Grevstad

• Council for Children and Families – CBCAP and Strengthening Families Washington grantee: Joan Sharp

• Mental Health – including the WA Mental Health Transformation Grant: Tory Clarke Henderson

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Today: Sharing Washington’s Story

• Overview of ECCS partnership & Kids Matter

• System Efforts to Strengthen Families through Partnerships with a Focus on Family Support & Children’s Mental Health

• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

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Kids Matter Framework:A Tool to…

• Bring together people and organizations with common goals

• Reduce fragmentation of systems and services

• Provide policy guidance to decision-makers

• Contribute to strong programs, services, schools, and communities

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Kids Matter was developed under the following tenets:

• Joint system building efforts built upon established plans

• Cross-system state agency participation

• Participatory community input from a broad constituency

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Kids Matter: Pillars of the Plan

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• Approaches early childhood systems as a collaborative effort

• Serves as an over-arching bridge for a comprehensive and integrated framework

• Defines common goals and outcomes• Outlines specific strategies and partners• Focuses on accountability and evaluation of

progress• Systems Thinking approach that emphasizes the

relationships among a system’s parts, rather than the parts themselves

Kids Matter: Hallmarks

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Four overarching gaps in Washington state systems for young children:

1. Fragmentation—multiple, separate systems2. Funding gaps3. Challenges to focused policy guidance and

decision-making4. Lack of public understanding of the importance of

early childhood and early childhood services

What Needs Does Kids Matter Address ?

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Create a Common Frame

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Kids Matter

• Kids Matter is a framework of prioritized outcomes

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Access to Health Insurance and Medical Homes, Social,

Emotional and Mental Health, Parenting Information and Support, Early Care and

Education/Child Care

Family Support approach, strategy, or outcome is integrated throughout

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Sample Broad Outcomes

• Increased availability of appropriate and coordinated mental health services for children

• Improved understanding and practice of nurturing behaviors to promote children’s optimal social-emotional development and mental health

• Increased number and percentage of children entering kindergarten with social-emotional skills

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Kids Matter Framework

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Accountability & Evaluation

• Three Levels of progress:

• Using the Kids Matter Framework• Systems Change• Child and Family Changes

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Parent and Caregiver Changes

Strategies

Child and Family Changes

Goal

Systems ChangesSO THAT

SO THAT

SO THAT

SO THAT

Accountability and Evaluation

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• Provides a conceptual framework for creating a more integrated, accessible EC system

• A ‘big tent’ for all who care for young children

• A way to focus collaborative efforts ‘strategically’

• Brings together new public & private partners

• 30,000 ft. level – allows for flexibility so programs, initiatives and agencies can use what works for them

How Does Kids Matter Add Value?

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Using the Framework to Support Systems

Efforts

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What is systems work?

Systems• Multi-program/service• Connections• Partners• Infrastructure

(funding, training, etc.)

Program/Services• Single

program/service• Service delivery

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• Health (including primary care)

• Public Health• Child Care & Early

Learning • Education• Mental Health • Social Services• Child Welfare

ECCS/KM Focus Areas• Health & Access

(Medical Home)• Early Care &

Education• Social, Emotional &

Mental Health• Parenting Education

& Family Support

Systems that impact young children and their families

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Systems work – What do we actually do?

• Inform • Provide technical assistance • Advise • Coordinate • Connect• Plan• Think • Read• Listen, learn & talk

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Council for Children and Families

AKA Washington Children’s Trust Fund

Our role: State lead for efforts to prevent child abuse & neglect

• Funding & support for community-based programs, especially developing capacity for outcome evaluation

• Public awareness & education• Developing the network & informing the field

(research into practice)• Policy, advocacy & system change

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Council for Children and Families

• Child abuse & neglect prevention in Washington is not a “system” but a network

• It takes a “big tent” to include CAN/prevention

• Systems change focus allows everyone’s contribution to be valued as parts of the necessary whole

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Council for Children and Families

• Washington – like many other states – is in the throes of change

• Kids Matter looks holistically about what promotes child well being & brings family support – aka child abuse & neglect prevention -- squarely to the forefront

• “Children are healthy & ready for school” requires parent support & family strengthening

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Strengthening Families and Kids Matter

Strengthening Families & the Protective Factors provides the Kids Matter

Framework with a strategic approach to specific outcomes & specific

methods of supporting parents and families

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Strengthening Families and Kids Matter

Kids Matter outcomes relevant to Strengthening Families:

• Increased number and percentage of children who live in safe, stable & supportive families

• Improved understanding and practice of nurturing behaviors to promote children’s optimal social-emotional development and mental health

• Increased systems’ recognition of families’ role as the primary nurturer of their children

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Quality Early Care and Education

Protective FactorsQuality Early Care &

Education

SF Supports

ECCSFive

Componentsand

Outcomes

Social & EmotionalCompetence of Children(SE-MH)

Program Strategies That:• Facilitate friendships and

mutual support• Strengthen parenting • Respond to family crises• Link families to services

and opportunities• Value and support

parents• Facilitate children’s

social and emotional development

• Observe and respond to early warning signs of child abuse or neglect

Concrete supports in times of need

(P&FS)

Knowledge of Parenting & Child

Development(ECE&H)

Social Connections(SE-MH)

Parental Resilience(P&FS)

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Kids Matter Framework

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Strengthening Families Washington

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Mental Health

• Mental health within DOH and local public health

• Kids Matter/ECCS - Social, emotional, mental health focus area

• Mental Health Transformation (MHT) Grant (http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/)

• MHT Prevention Advisory Group• State Board of Health Paper - Mental Health –

a Public Health Approach

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Mental Health – A Public Health Approach

Treatment & Recovery

Early Intervention

Prevention

Promotion

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What helps partnerships work?

• Relationships, relationships, relationships• Listen and learn about each others

systems – funding streams, regulations, priorities, stakeholders, etc.

• Pay attention to language • Go to meetings• Tapping into natural leaders • Read

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What gets in the way?

• Difficult to identify and measure results and outcomes

• Can become overwhelming and disorganized if priorities are not identified

• Can be difficult to articulate clearly• Lack of funding for coordination and

systems building efforts• Tiring

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Results of our partnerships

• MHT Prevention Advisory Group• Prevention Chapter in Mental Health

Transformation Plan, including mention of ECCS/KM

• ECCS/LM listed as DOH initiative that works toward an MHT priority (increased system collaboration)

• SBOH paper including early childhood stakeholders, and early childhood section

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More results

• Linking community efforts related to early learning, SFWA, social emotional development, and children’s mental health

• Integrated ECCS/KM, SFWA, and mental health into Child & Adolescent Section Strategic Plan, MCH Mental Health Plan, and MCH Block Grant reports

• MCH Priority – Optimal mental health and healthy relationships

• MCH State Performance Measure related to early learning and school readiness

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More results

• Promotion & utilization of the Kids Matter framework to new audiences: – Increased understanding of the many

interconnecting parts that contribute to child well being

– Silo busting

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Lessons Learned

• Dogged determination (a fire in the belly) makes the difference.

• Joining together to build off a common framework keeps the fires of commitment burning

• Recognize this work takes time & should be supported

• It is worth it !

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Contact Information

Lorrie Grevstadlorrie.grevstad@doh.wa.gov

Tory Clarke Hendersontory.henderson@doh.wa.gov

Joan Sharpjoan@wcpcan.wa.gov