Blog > Archive by category 'Advancing Child Health'

Webinar: Infusing a Developmental Approach into Child Welfare Services for Infants and Toddlers

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 | Author: Patti Mulligan

Infusing a Developmental Approach into Child Welfare Services for Infants and Toddlers

Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 2:00 PM Eastern
(1:00 PM Central, 12:00 PM Mountain, and 11:00 AM Pacific)

Register now: https://zerotothree.ilinc.com/register/hpxscyc

This webinar, hosted by the ZERO TO THREE Policy Center, will highlight the release of an assessment tool for states entitled A Developmental Approach to Child Welfare Services for Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families: A Self-Assessment Tool for States and Counties Administering Child Welfare Services. The webinar will include a discussion of relevant data on infants, toddlers, and their families that will help states develop a clearer picture of strengths and gaps in their child welfare system. Representatives from Iowa and Connecticut will discuss their state initiatives to ensure a developmental approach to child welfare services for very young children, identify challenges they have faced in producing data on infants and toddlers in the child welfare system, and share how they plan to use the tool.

Infants and toddlers are the age group most vulnerable to maltreatment and its aftermath. Although this time of life is one of great vulnerability, it is a time of great potential to intervene early and effectively to prevent or minimize negative effects that may prove to be irreversible later in life. It is crucial that child welfare systems infuse guiding principles for infant and toddler development into practices and policies. The September 2011 passage of the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act, which instituted a new requirement for states to describe in their child welfare state plans how they promote permanency for and address the developmental needs of young children in their care, offers an opportunity for states to be more intentional in their efforts to meet the unique needs of infants, toddlers, and their families.

AGENDA

Facilitation by:
Assistant Director of Public Policy, ZERO TO THREE

Presentations by:
Patricia Cole
Director of Government Relations, ZERO TO THREE

Question and answer session
Barbara Gebhard
Assistant Director of Public Policy, ZERO TO THREE

Arlene F. Lee
Associate Director, Public Policy, Center for the Study of Social Policy

Wendy A. Rickman
Division Administrator, Iowa Department of Human Services

Janice Gruendel
Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Connecticut Department of Children and Families

Register now: https://zerotothree.ilinc.com/register/hpxscyc

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Weight of the Nation Documentary and Campaign

Friday, May 11th, 2012 | Author: Tracy

Obesity is common, serious, and costly. More than one-third of adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% of children and adolescents are obese.  Weight of the Nation brings together public health researchers and practitioners, policy makers, and national partners devoted to obesity prevention and control to raise awareness across the country as well as share approaches that show promise or demonstrated success for improving healthy eating and active living.

The Weight of the Nation is a documentary series and public health campaign.  Three years in the making, the campaign is an unprecedented collaboration of HBO and the Institute of Medicine, is association with CDC, the National Institutes of Health, made in partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.  The Weight of the Nation films broadcast on May 14-15 on HBO, and will stream free of charge after the broadcast at theweightofthenation.hbo.com.

What can you do to help improve the weight of the nation?

Watch:

Learn:

Act:

Take The Weight of the Nation Pledge for Progress

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McDowell Partnership for Children Grant for Preschool Dental Program in Rutherford and Polk Counties

Tuesday, May 08th, 2012 | Author: Patti Mulligan

McDowell Partnership for Children receives grant to expand Preschool Dental Program to Rutherford and Polk counties

Preschool Dental Health

The Healthy Smiles program will receive nearly $500K over 3 years to provide dental health services for at-risk preschoolers in Rutherford and Polk counties.

The McDowell County Partnership for Children has received a federal grant from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to provide a Preschool Dental Program for McDowell, Rutherford and Polk counties. The three-year grant totaling $446,759 will expand on an existing program of The McDowell Hospital and the McDowell Health Department, which is coming to an end. Five percent will be matched with cash and in-kind funds.

The project, called Healthy Smiles, will decrease the number of children entering kindergarten with untreated tooth decay. According to the most recent figures reported by the NC Oral Health Section, nearly one third of children in these counties enter kindergarten with untreated tooth decay.

“We are excited to receive funding for three additional years in McDowell and expand on the success of the hospital’s program by serving children in Rutherford and Polk counties,” said Partnership Executive Director Caroline Rodier. “We hope to replicate the results of the current grant-funded program in which we saw the number of McDowell children entering kindergarten with untreated tooth decay decline from 27% to 20% over three years.”

The project targets children enrolled in child care centers with limited oral exams and education. It also provides education and outreach to expectant mothers and the Latino community through dental screenings and education events. The project focuses on the concept of identifying and establishing young children with dental homes as an oral health prevention strategy.

Two full-time dental assistants will provide 1) early identification and case management for a dental home model, 2) targeted outreach and education for young children (ages birth to five), their parents, child care providers and expectant moms, 3) access to restorative dental services for children – birth through kindergarten, and 4) increase in the use of fluoride varnishing. A contracted dentist from Mission Children’s Dental Program will assist with dental screenings in child care centers and at community events.

The Dental Home is supported by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association as a best practice. It builds upon three evidence-based strategies for dental health, which include fluoridation of drinking water, fluoride varnishing and sealant projects. The Healthy Smiles project is similar to the Carolina Dental Home promising-practice model, but targets children in child care settings instead of through primary care practices.

An estimated 965 children will receive access to new and expanded programs and services, including limited oral exams, assistance with Medicaid enrollment, case management for establishing a dental home, and restorative dental services if needed through the grant-funded project.

Kindergarten Children with Untreated Tooth Decay 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011
McDowell County 33% 30% 32% 32% 30% 27% 21% 20%
Rutherford County 31% 33% 32% 30% 33% 27%   24%
Polk County 38% 33% 38% 30% 29% 29% 24% 22%
North Carolina 23% 25% 23% 21% 18% 17%    
United States 24% 24% 24% 24% 24% 24% 24% 24%

Data for North Carolina, Rutherford, Polk, and McDowell counties is from the NC Oral Health Section. Data is not yet available for FY 2009-2010 or 2010-2011. The data shown above for Rutherford, Polk, and McDowell Counties has been provided by the NC Oral Health Section hygienists who conduct screenings in those counties. National data was provided by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research/NIH, 1999-2004 (http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/).  

Contact: Caroline Rodier, Executive Director
McDowell County Partnership for Children & Families
70 N. Main Street
Marion, NC 28752
caroline@mcdsmartstart.org
828-659-2462
www.mcdowellpartnership-smartstart.org

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Webinar: Meeting the Developmental Needs of Infants and Toddlers in the Child Welfare System

Wednesday, May 02nd, 2012 | Author: Tracy

May 7, 2012 2:00 – 3:30 Eastern Daylight Time

Register now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/698279770

Speakers include:

  • Fred Wulczyn, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago;
  • Brenda Jones Harden, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Institute for Child Study, University of Maryland;
  • Cecile Blucker, Director of the Division of Children and Family Services within the Arkansas Department of Human Services;
  • Patricia A. Cole (Moderator), Director of Government Relations, ZERO TO THREE

ZERO TO THREE and the Child Welfare Information Gateway are partnering to present a webinar about how the science of early childhood development could inform child welfare policies and practices for infants and toddlers.

Soon state child welfare agencies will be required to update their state plans to include a description of how they are meeting the developmental needs of young children, making this topic especially timely.

This webinar will focus first on what the data on young children, especially infants, tell us about young children’s experiences in the child welfare system. It will also explore the impact of maltreatment on development and how early intervention can support development. Finally, it will point administrators and stakeholders to a framework for designing a developmental approach to caring for young children in the child welfare system and their families and provide a state perspective on how to get started.

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The Effects of Homelessness on Young Children

Thursday, April 26th, 2012 | Author: Tracy

Child Trends has published a brief that looks at how homelessness impacts the development of young children. When the Bough Breaks: The Effects of Homelessness on Young Children (February 2012) reports that between 2006 and 2010, approximately 1.6 million children were homeless annually in the U.S. and about 40% of those children were under the age of six. The brief discusses research findings showing that preschoolers without a stable home are more likely to have a major developmental delay and higher rates of internalizing and externalizing behaviors than other children. It includes recommendations to help improve outcomes for these children, including access to high-quality child care and early education programs.

Another recently published Child Trends’ brief, Frequent Residential Mobility and Young Children’s Well-being (January 2012), looks at the demographic characteristics of young children identified as “frequent movers,” and the association of frequent moves with their mental and physical health.

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Shape NC Reveals New Logo

Monday, April 09th, 2012 | Author: Tracy

Shape NC, a partnership between the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation and The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. to combat childhood obesity now has its own logo. This three-year, $3 million effort partnership is a groundbreaking initiative that is tackling childhood obesity by focusing on young children from birth through age 5.

With a focus on the child care setting, Shape NC is increasing knowledge of nutrition and the importance of physical activity practices among young children, their families and teachers, with the goal of increasing the number of young children in child care at a healthy weight.

Download the Fact Sheet to learn more.

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CDC estimates 1 in 88 children in U.S. identified as having an autism spectrum disorder

Wednesday, April 04th, 2012 | Author: Tracy

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study that looked at data from 14 communities.  Autism spectrum disorders are almost five times more common among boys than girls – with 1 in 54 boys identified. 

Track your child’s development and act early if you have a concern.

More children than ever before are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Like the many families living with ASDs, CDC considers ASDs an important public health concern. CDC is committed to continuing to provide essential data on ASDs, search for risk factors and causes, and develop resources that help identify children with ASDs as early as possible.

The “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and supports they need as early as possible.

From birth to 5 years, children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak and act. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of an ASD or other developmental disabilities.

CDC provides free materials to help parents and early educators track young children’s developmental milestones, tips for encouraging children’s growth and development, and information about what to do if there’s a concern about a child’s development. There are also free resources for health professionals.

National, state and local programs that serve parents of young children can add “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” materials to their resources for parents. Programs can customize CDC’s materials with their own contact information and distribute them to the populations they serve.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/ActEarly and www.cdc.gov/Autism or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

 For more information: 

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April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Monday, April 02nd, 2012 | Author: Patti Mulligan

Exerpts from the Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina Newsletter
3701 National Drive, Suite 211
Raleigh, NC 27612
(919) 829-8009
http://www.preventchildabusenc.org/

PCANC NEWS
Using Motivational Interviewing in Child Maltreatment Prevention
May 23, 2012
9:00 am to 4:00 pm (check-in begins at 8:30)
Durham, NC

There are many things we know we should do to improve our health and safety like having a safety plan, exercising for 30 minutes a day, flossing, etc. But what is it that keeps us from recognizing and/or changing bad habits?
In this skill based training we will move from theory to practice. Participants will learn techniques to help clients discover what motivates them, as well as how to use that information to empower clients to make changes to meet their own goals. In addition, participants will discuss and practice specific techniques, including simple and double-sided reflections, reframing, and the FRAMES model to develop basic motivational interviewing skills.
Join us as we learn how we can implement this highly effective technique in your prevention work. A previous understanding of the theory and history of motivational interviewing is beneficial as this will not be reviewed. To learn more and to register, click here.

Highlight on NC Pinwheel Gardens!!
PCANC will be showcasing pinwheel gardens across the state. Please send information about your event along with photos and any news coverage to Maureen McKeon. All submissions will be highlighted in the PCANC Pinwheel Garden Gallery on our website.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
Connect 4 Families
April 16, 2012
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Marbles Children’s Museum
Raleigh, NC

North Carolina Parenting Education Network’s Spring Forum is designed for parenting educators and others who work with children and families including teachers, counselors, coaches, students, childcare providers, youth workers, social workers, health providers, etc. Participants will have an opportunity to showcase their programs and services, and network. All participants should bring displays, flyers, brochures and business cards. Six (6) professional development contact hours, which can be used toward the NC Parenting Credential, will be awarded to each participant. Online registration is available at www.ncpen.org.

The program is to Include:

  • Keynote by the national parenting expert Amy McCready
  • Workshops by NC Parenting Educators
  • A Carousel of Resources (Please bring a flyer or brochure to share about your program)
  • Networking Opportunities (Connecting with others…Bring business cards)
  • Morning and Afternoon Refreshments and a Boxed Lunch (Included)
  • Door Prizes

For more information and to register, please click here.
North Carolina Parenting Education Network

What Being Trauma Informed Means For Prevention Programs: Part II
April 23, 2012
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

This two part webinar series will provide information on what it means to be trauma informed, what prevention of child abuse and neglect programs can/are doing to become trauma informed, and trauma related resources that might be useful with families and youth in already existing programs.

Part II will feature two other NCTSN sites that are using existing prevention programs (a parenting program and a family support program) and testing a trauma adaptation in order to more effectively address current and historical trauma issues of the parents and family. Participants will also hear about resources that could be used with families and youth in already existing programs that might be funded by CBCAP dollars. Registration is not yet available for this webinar.

Part I is now archived and available for viewing here.
National Resource Center for Community Based Child Abuse Prevention

RESOURCES
Building up the Modern Dad
A recent article in the Herald-Sun featured a guest column in the Schools & More section by Jeff Quinn of Duke’s Center for Child and Family Policy. The column talks about the ‘modern dad’, the need for father involvement and its positive impact on young children’s development, but also discusses the challenges and hurdles faced by involved fathers and those who work hard to get more involved. View the article here.
The Herald-Sun

Prevention Coalition: National Plan 2012 Released
The National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation has released its new and updated National Plan to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. The National Plan provides practical steps that individuals, organizations, businesses and policymakers can implement to promote positive youth development and prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation.

“The National Plan helps explain why everyone has an active role in preventing child sexual abuse and exploitation,” says Deborah Callins, president of The National Coalition.

Specifically, The plan highlights primary prevention and youth development actions to:

• Decrease the risk of future perpetration of child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Increase the engagement of effective bystander actions that can aid in the prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Promote norms that support healthy behaviors, images, and messages
• Promote environments and education that support healthy development, relationships, and sexuality
• Collaborate with media, businesses, and policymakers to develop and implement strategies to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Challenge media messages that normalize and promote children as sexual objects, and
• Promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships for children in their homes and broader environments to decrease future risk of sexual abuse perpetration.

Read the plan here.
National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation

20th Annual Parade of Playhomes Fundraiser for the Prevention of Child Abuse
March 19 – April 7, 2012
The Streets at Southpoint, Durham
April 9 – May 6
American Tobacco Campus, Durham

Every five minutes in North Carolina, a child is abused. This is a staggering statistic, and the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties is proudly doing something about it. For the past 20 years, the HBA has been raising funds to support child abuse prevention programs in our area. Each year, three of the Member Builders each build a custom playhome that is raffled off and 100% of the proceeds are donated to local organizations that help prevent child abuse, such as Durham Exchange Club’s Family Center. This year, two of the playhomes will be raffled and one will be auctioned on E-Bay! Click here for more information and to purchase raffle tickets.
Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties

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Let’s Move! Child Care Webinar

Thursday, March 29th, 2012 | Author: Patti Mulligan

Let’s Move! Child Care Webinar

We’ve been promoting Let’s Move! Child Care, a website of resources and inspiration to improve the nutrition and healthy weight of America’s children. States are competing to get the most child care providers signed up in the Start Early challenge.

Curious? Want to learn more? Join a webinar for trainers and early care and education providers called

Let’s Move! Child Care: Tools and Resources for Success

When? This Friday, March 30 from 2-3 p.m. Eastern time
Go here to register.

What will you learn?
• The tools and resources available to help providers successfully meet the 5 Let’s Move! Child Care goals and earn the Provider Recognition Award
• The Checklist Quiz and how to create an action plan to reach the goals
• How to use the Let’s Move! Child Care website to find free, simple-to-use resources, inspiring ideas, and practical tips for healthy eating and physical activity

Want to learn more? Visit the Let’s Move! Child Care website for past webinars posted online.

Please note: Inservice credit is not awarded for these webinars.

Contact DCDEE
919.662.4499
800.859.0829
(in-state only)
fax: 919.661.4845

webmasterdcd@dhhs.nc.gov

mailing address:
2201 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2201

physical address:
319 Chapanoke Road
Raleigh, NC 27603

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Archived Webinar on Childhood Migration and Well-being

Monday, March 26th, 2012 | Author: Patti Mulligan

From the UNC Gillings School of Public Health

17th Annual Summer Public Health Research Institute and Videoconference on Minority Health

Health Equity: Progress and Pitfalls

Original Date: Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Childhood Migration and Well-being: A Framework for Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges, Krista M. Perreira, Ph.D.

Click through to watch the archived webinar.

Related Links:

Videoconference agenda and speaker biographies

Abstracts and background readings

Credits and acknowledgements

17th Annual Videoconference home page

Previous Videoconferences in this series

Minority Health Project archived webcasts

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