Access to Early Childhood Services Guide Overview Designed by the Early Childhood Family Network Committee Presentation by Tal Curry Department for Public Health Presentation Outline •Vision, Purpose, Goals for this tool •How this tool could be used •Structure of this tool •Journey through the tool •Wrap up and questions about the tool Access Guide Page 1 and 2 •Need or gaps in the coordination or integration of services •Under Title of EC Services Guide –Family Involvement is critical throughout a Child’s life. –The Parents or Primary Caregivers are seen as experts about their Child –and Service Providers provide support to the Family. •This EC Guide can be a tool for early childhood professionals and for family members •Referral to appropriate programs and community services •EC Guide is designed to support families and their children from prenatal (conception) through age five. •Promotion & Prevention – Public Health model •The goal is not to just react to a need, but begin to have systems (families and professionals) be preventive! •Transition- begin to show a guide for transition children from one service to another Specific Goals More specifically….. •Promote early intervention •To help community providers make appropriate referrals •Understand the services provided/available •Know what the age requirements are •Be aware of transition phases •Be aware of places where programs collaborate and coordinate services (blending, braiding, transitioning, seamless, uninterrupted) How it could be used? 1.Posted in Local Health Departments, Community Action Agencies, DCBS -Family Support, Primary Care Providers, etc. 2.Used by DCBS P&P offices, First Step Primary Service Coordinators, Pediatricians, Commission for Special Health Care Needs, Natural Support systems (Faith Based, Support Groups…)etc. Definitions •EC Guide/EC Services Guide – Access to Early Childhood Services for Children and Families Prenatal through Age 5 (title of document) •Family - includes parents, caregivers, legal guardians and often other natural supports like friend that lives in proximity that serves as grandparent •Categories – 8 primary categories on front of the EC Guide. (Last box has two categories Head Start & State Funded Preschool) Structure of document •Page 1 (Guide, roadmap, flowchart) -- highlights some of the primary early childhood programs and services •Page 2 (or Informational side)– provides information on other state and national programs serving children and families •Two editions – Laminated and folded •Color coordination Page 1 Page 2 Family Category •Family involvement or family driven care is paramount to the system •Where everything starts and flows from •Should be integrated throughout categories so gave it its own category, first! •Family governs care for child and their community •Note -5 family driven system of care bullets Use for this tool in systems This tool is designed to emphasize and encourage family involvement with all systems providing services to children and families in order to strengthen the parent’s role as an advocate and primary decision maker for their child’s continued growth and development Who drives the need? •Child drives the need! •Caregivers respond by – providing care and/or seeking additional resources Ongoing cycle of family driven care •Caregivers have to seek additional support •Advocate •Make decisions •Monitor progress One category where families enter system use: •DCBS Family Support •FRYSC - Schools •Community Action Agency Medical Category •Medical Category links to Health Insurance under Family Category •Medicaid/KCHIP or Private Insurance •Need to include Educational Model of services Part C (First Steps), then Part B (State Funded Preschool) with Medical model of services Medical Category continued •Other Category where families start in a system •Category emphasizes prevention starting with Note: Folic Acid and abstaining from ATOD. •Conception to Birth Period •Most boxes yellow except OBGYN and LHD ovals •Primary Care Provider including Preventative, Specialty Care, & Dental Social-Emotional or Behavioral Health Provider •Final box in category blue to highlight Social- Emotional needs served through Medical Model of services •Many state services under DBHDID website •This color is repeated in 6 places under primary categories Categories of Primary EC Services- HANDS •Proactive program with great results! •Enrollment is conception to 12 weeks after a child is born…do you know why? •Best outcomes are from the 1st trimester a mother/father enters program •Don’t forget first time dads for referral of family to the program (could be mother’s third child)! HANDS Continued •Note after HANDS does 3 different screening with family -- referral information to other community services/providers •This blue matches blue of previous category under Social- Emotional or other BH provider •Note color coordination not perfect with informational side/page 2 (red Medical/ Social Emotional Programs) Categories of Primary EC Services- Childcare •Childcare – there are many types of childcare •Approximately 3000 licensed childcare centers and certified family home providers •Childcare is different than State Funded Preschool Childcare continued •This category attempts to show the relationship or process of a family seeking childcare Childcare continued •Referral to other community resources should include a “rainbow” of possibilities •This is important to consider when thinking about a child receiving the most appropriate services and when a child is transitioning between programs in the same day Categories of Primary EC Services- First Steps •Part C Program or statewide Early Intervention System for children birth and ending at age three. •Service Coordination •Strengths and limitations Under First Steps Category •Example of different color coding demonstrating transition and collaboration Categories of Primary EC Services- Early Head Start •Only Primary EC Service that is not statewide •There are approximately 14 Early Head Start Programs servicing infants and toddlers. Categories of Primary EC Services- Head Start •All 120 counties have a Head Start program serving some of our states most vulnerable children and families. •Comprehensive program with strong family involvement component Categories of Primary EC Services- State Funded Preschool •172 school districts offer Part B services or Individual Education Program for children with educational disabilities/ developmental delays and other income elidgible children •Balance with Childcare and Medical model Informational Side •Two insurance programs that will soon be four programs as of October 1, 2011. Informational Side •WIC is a LHD program that is a common thread among our EC families –prenatal to age 5. •CCSHCN is a medical program Info side •CCAP – example of federal assistance program •An example of technical assistance provider for child care and families Info Side •Example of State and National Resources Local Contacts section-info side • For local provider to fill in • Or for family to fill in EC Services Guide made possible by ECCS, KPFC, and KY SEED • Dissemintation • Survey • Extra copies • Website How will you use this EC Guide? 1. With systems that are: a) Statewide? b) Regionally? c) Locally? 2. In your own Professional Development? 3. How would you present or train guide with: a) a family? b) with an EC professional? c) with a group? Access Guide Online http://kypartnership.org/resource/early-childhood-services/ Presenter Information Tal Curry, LCSW Early Childhood Promotion Department for Public Health 275 East Main St, HS2W-C Frankfort, KY 40621 tal.curry@ky.gov Questions?