Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families Triple P proposal by Kendall Hebert

Appendix B: Proposal Summary Information Please complete this proposal summary information and include it at as the cover page of your full proposal, due by midnight on December 7, 2012. Name of Applicant Organization (or lead applicant): Organization Street Address: City, State, Zip: Website: Federal Tax ID Number: Executive Director: Contact Person & Title: Contact Person’s Phone: Project Title: Funding Request: Matching Funds

Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families 8054 Summa Avenue Suite C Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809 www.lapartnership.org 83-0358295 Ken Hinrichs Ken Hinrichs, Executive Director Contact Person’s E-mail Address: ken.hinrichs@lapartnership.org Triple P/ Head Start Collaboration $100000 X Our organization understands it must provide a 1:1 cash match if awarded a subgrant.

Type of Organization: (If not a 501(c)3, state tax-exempt status) Geography to be covered by proposed project: (check all that apply)

Focus & Outcome Alignment: (required: check all that apply)

Model to be followed by proposed project: (for priority consideration: check any that apply, if applicable)

Evidence Effectiveness (select one)

X 501(c)3 ☐Ascension x East Baton Rouge ☐East Feliciana ☐Iberville X Livingston ☐Pointe Coupee X St. Helena ☐St. James X West Baton Rouge ☐West Feliciana ☐Birth outcomes improve X Parents are engaged, supported and educated to meet the needs of their young children ☐All children have access to qualify child care and preschool ☐Children’s physical health & safety needs are met X Children’s social-emotional health needs are met ☐Help Me Grow/ Early Intervention and care coordination X Triple P (Positive Parenting Program)/ parenting education ☐Nurse-Family Partnership/ home visiting ☐Building and supporting quality child care through efforts to create diverse delivery of early education services and/or ☐Providing mental health consultation to early education providers ☐ Preliminary ☐ Moderate X Strong

Capital Area United Way – Social Innovation Fund

Executive Summary The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families proposes to implement the Social Innovation Fund project “Triple P / Head Start Collaboration” with Head Start Programs within 4 Capital Area United Way Parishes. The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families is proposing to expand the reach of Triple P into East Baton Rouge (northern area), Livingston, St. Helena, and West Baton Rouge Parishes. Both mothers and fathers (or parental figures in the homes) of children enrolled in the Head Start Programs will be targeted to participate in and evaluate the Triple P interventions. The proposed program is intended to increase their participation in parenting education activities and their confidence level in addressing their children’s needs. Additional intended outcomes include parental reports of improved behavior of their child(ren) after completing the Triple P program and satisfaction with the program. The Capital Area United Way outcomes that this proposed program intends to address are: 1. Parents are engaged, supported and educated to meet the needs of their young children 2. Children’s social-emotional health needs are met The Triple P Positive Parenting Program Project involves the implementation of an evidencebased multi-level system of parenting and family support interventions at varying intensities and formats. Triple P is used in 20 countries in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. The five intervention levels of increasing intensity are designed to enhance parental competence and prevent or alter dysfunctional parenting practices, thereby reducing an important set of family risk factors both for child maltreatment and for children’s behavioral and emotional problems. Triple P Positive Parenting Program is an international comprehensive system of parenting and support with over 90 randomized clinical trials, including efficacy and effectiveness studies, field evaluations and dissemination studies. Triple P has been evaluated as a universal strategy shown to strengthen parenting and reduce conduct problems in high-risk preschool children.

Numerous effectiveness and dissemination studies have demonstrated broad utilization of the intervention in multiple settings. Level 3 Primary Care Triple P has been found to be a good fit for Head Start Programs, and those within the Capital Area United Way area could benefit from Level 3 trainings and resources. Level 3 services include 4 brief 15-30 minute individual session with parents / caregivers. Triple P materials will be provided for a full year after accreditation, during which time each parent educator trained will be expected to implement Triple P with their families. Peer Support is an integral part of the Triple P training with a recommended meeting agenda, including self-regulation activities, case presentations, brainstorming solutions to challenges presented, and sharing of information and materials. It is designed to assist practitioners in increasing their competency and fidelity to the Triple P model and in implementing Triple P with families. In addition to monthly Peer Support meetings, conference calls and individual consultations will be held as needed to support Triple P implementation and program fidelity. Additionally, Level 2 Triple P Seminars will be provided by the Parenting Education Director who is an accredited Triple P Level 3 Primary Care and Level 2 Seminars practitioner. The seminars include “The Power of Positive Parenting”, “Raising Self-Confident Children”, and “Raising Resilient Children”, and are designed for presentations to large audiences. This will allow outreach to more families in different settings and help identify families that may benefit from individualized Level 3 intervention.

Program Design The most recent Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund State Plan identified the lack of parenting skills as the primary cause of child abuse and neglect, and stakeholders viewed parenting education as most effective in preventing abuse. A 2006 survey concluded that, although there are parent programs being implemented across Louisiana, including state-funded programs, there is limited evaluation of program goals and little evidence of effectiveness. There is a definite gap in all types of parent education services, particularly for parents of children with behavioral issues. The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families (LPCF), in conjunction with the Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council / BrightStart, worked to educate state agency leaders and policy makers about the need for evidence-based parenting programs and introduced the Triple P Positive Parenting Program as an evidence-based program based on significant research. Two major events led to the implementation efforts in Louisiana: 1) the DHH Maternal Child Health section provided funding for BrightStart to hire a Triple P Program Coordinator, and 2) the Partnership was successful in obtaining funding from the Children’s Trust Fund and from Baptist Community Ministries to pilot the initial Triple P training. At the same time, the Children’s Coalition of Northeast Louisiana and the Children’s Bureau of New Orleans were awarded funding from Children’s Trust Fund to train parenting educators in Triple P. The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families coordinated the statewide implementation of a Triple P pilot program that was initiated in 2010 in Louisiana. A comprehensive Triple P legislative report was submitted in January 2012 and is posted on the BrightStart website (www.brightstartla.org). Later that year, Triple P training in Shreveport was funded by the North Louisiana Community Foundation. As of this date, 115 practitioners have been trained (many at

multiple and combined Triple P levels of intervention) and 21 of those trained are within the Capital Area United Way parishes. Head Start programs have shown significant success in implementing Triple P, and programs within the Capital Area United Way area could benefit from additional Triple P trainings. (See attached list of Head Start Programs with staff trained in Triple P). The Capital Area United Way outcomes that this proposed program intends to address are: 1. Parents are engaged, supported and educated to meet the needs of their young children 2. Children’s social-emotional health needs are met The Triple P Positive Parenting Program Project involves the implementation of an evidencebased multi-level system of parenting and family support interventions at varying intensities and formats. Triple P is used in 20 countries in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. The five intervention levels of increasing intensity are designed to enhance parental competence and prevent or alter dysfunctional parenting practices, thereby reducing an important set of family risk factors both for child maltreatment and for children’s behavioral and emotional problems. Level 1 - is a media and communication strategy targeting all parents Level 2 - involves brief, individual or seminar-based consultation with parents Level 3 - is a more intensive but brief 4 session primary care intervention Level 4 - is an 8–10 session active skills training program Level 5 - targets parenting, partner skills, emotion coping skills, and attribution retraining for the highest-risk families. The overarching aims of Triple P are: To promote the independence and health of families through the enhancement of parents’ knowledge, skills and confidence

To promote the development of non-violent protective, and nurturing environments for children To promote the development, growth, health and social competence of young children To reduce the incidence of child maltreatment, behavioral and emotional problems in childhood and adolescence, delinquency, substance abuse, and academic failure. To enhance the competence, resourcefulness, and self-sufficiency of parenting in raising their children The five core principles of Triple P that promote social competence and emotional selfregulation in children include: ensuring a safe, engaging environment, promoting a positive learning environment, using assertive discipline, maintaining reasonable expectations, and taking care of oneself as a parent. Level 3 Primary Care Triple P has been found to be a good fit for Head Start Programs, and those within the Capital Area United Way area could benefit from Level 3 trainings and resources. Level 3 services include 4 brief 15-30 minute individual session with parents / caregivers. Triple P materials will be provided for a full year after accreditation, during which time each parent educator trained will be expected to implement Triple P with their families. The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families is proposing to expand the reach of Triple P into EBR and Livingston Parishes, where some Triple P practitioners have been trained, and to introduce Triple P to new geographic areas, St. Helena Parish and West Baton Rouge Parish. Although the Triple P organization suggests that practitioners could implement Level 3 with 50 children within a year, it has been difficult for those previously trained to reach that number due to other job responsibilities, parents not keeping scheduled appointments for various reasons (e.g. transportation, work, being overwhelmed) and other factors.

Peer Support is an integral part of the Triple P training with a recommended meeting agenda, including self-regulation activities, case presentations, brainstorming solutions to challenges presented, and sharing of information and materials. It is designed to assist practitioners in increasing their competency and fidelity to the Triple P model and in implementing Triple P with families. Practitioners determine in advance the meeting agenda, facilitator and presenter(s) and supports needed. Peer Support and technical assistance would be provided by the state Triple P Coordinator / Parenting Education Director of the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families. In addition to monthly Peer Support meetings, conference calls and individual consultations will be held as needed to support Triple P implementation and program fidelity. Additionally, Level 2 Triple P Seminars will be provided by the Parenting Education Director who is an accredited Triple P Level 3 Primary Care and Level 2 Seminars practitioner. The seminars include “The Power of Positive Parenting”, “Raising Self-Confident Children”, and “Raising Resilient Children”, and are designed for presentations to large audiences. This will allow outreach to more families in different settings and help identify families that may benefit from individualized Level 3 intervention. The proposed program targets vulnerable and low-income communities by providing services to families in selected CAUW area Head Start Programs, serving families with children ages 3-5. Federal Head Start guidelines require that families eligible to enroll in Head Start provide proof of income below 100% of the federal poverty level. 1382 of the 1654 children enrolled in Head Start in East Baton Rouge Parish live in homes with income 100% below the poverty line, according to their recent Annual Report. The East Baton Rouge Parish Head Start Centers targeted in this proposal are in a poor section of the northern part of the parish. It is also important to note that these programs are in or near the area targeted by law enforcement to

reduce crime through fostering relationships with residents and assigning additional police department officers to this project. As mentioned in a local news report, the 70805 zip code area “accounts for 13 percent of the city’s population but 30 percent of the homicides”, According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, St. Helena Parish has a population of 11,203, and the per capita personal income of the parish was $16,387. It was also reported that 829 children in St. Helena Parish lived in homes with income below the poverty level. The Head Start Program is in Greensburg, which has a population of 718 and 139 (19.4%) persons living in homes with income below the poverty level. The program’s Self-Assessment report emphasizes the vulnerability of families due to “a loss of population, increase in poverty, poor quality of education systems, and the danger of malaise, apathy, and a feeling of unworthiness among parish residents.” In Livingston Parish, with a population of 128,026 according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, the per capita personal income was $23,372, and 2,056 families earn less than $10,000 annually. It was also reported that 9,730 children live in homes that were below the poverty level. The per capita personal income in West Baton Rouge Parish is $20,445, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and 22% of the children under age 18 (1,574 children) are from families with incomes below the poverty level. Both mothers and fathers (or parental figures in the homes) of children enrolled in the Head Start Programs will be targeted to participate in and evaluate the Triple P interventions. The proposed program is intended to increase their participation in parenting education activities and their confidence level in addressing their children’s needs. Additional intended outcomes include parental reports of improved behavior of their child(ren) after completing the Triple P program and satisfaction with the program. Engagement of fathers in the activities is an important component of the proposal to obtain a complete evaluation of the effectiveness of the

Triple P interventions. After each seminar, Level 2 participants complete a “Parent Satisfaction Survey” to collect data on the acceptability and utility of the seminar. This feedback from parents is useful in informing future seminar presentations. The following measures will be utilized with each family participating in Level 3 interventions:  Parenting Experiences Survey (pre and post): This very brief, 7 item measure assesses parent perception of difficulty of child behavior, parent expectations and confidence, and inter-parental support and agreement for parenting.  Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (post only): The Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire (Sanders, Markie-Dadds, & Turner, 2001) is a brief measure that assesses the quality of the service provided, how well it met the parent’s needs, how effective it was, and whether they would recommend the program to others. All families will complete a demographic form known as the Family Background Questionnaire which captures relevant demographic information for all families. Demographic information, results of the above measures, and the client satisfaction survey results, will be shared as part of the evaluation of the project. No identifying information will be shared without permission in order to protect the confidentiality of the families served.

Below is the Triple P Outcome Chart indicating assessment domains, including those for Level 3 Primary Care. Triple P Assessment Domains Family Background and Family Demographics Child Behavior

Primary Care Triple P Family Background Questionnaire Parenting Experience Survey, Item #1

Level 4 Standard & Group Triple P Family Background Questionnaire Strengths and Difficulties Parent Daily Report Checklist

Parenting Style

none

Parenting Scale

Parenting Confidence (self-efficacy)

Parenting Experience Survey, Item #3

Parenting Tasks Checklist

Parental personal Parenting Experience adjustment Survey, Item #2 Relationship Satisfaction Parenting Experience Survey, Item #7 (for two-parent families only) Conflict over parenting Parenting Experience Survey, Items #5 and #6 (for two-parent families only) Client Satisfaction Client Satisfaction Questionnaire

Depression Anxiety Stress Scales Relationship Quality Inventory

Parent Problems Checklist

Client Satisfaction Questionnaire

Evidence Triple P Positive Parenting Program is an international comprehensive system of parenting and support with over 90 randomized clinical trials, including efficacy and effectiveness studies, field evaluations and dissemination studies. Triple P has been evaluated as a universal strategy shown to strengthen parenting and reduce conduct problems in high-risk preschool children. Numerous effectiveness and dissemination studies have demonstrated broad utilization of the intervention in multiple settings.

The Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy identified Triple P as a “near top tier” evidence standard, defined as meeting all elements of the Top Tier standard (“well-designed randomized controlled trials” with “sizeable, sustained effects on important…outcomes”) in a single site, and only needing one additional step to qualify as Top Tier – a replication trial establishing that the reported effects generalize to other sites. This project would provide additional data on the effectiveness of the Triple P program. A 2012 meta-analysis of the Triple P program published in BioMed Central in BMC Medicine reported found no convincing evidence of the long-term effectiveness of Triple P interventions. Working with Head Start programs could provide follow-up data on families participating in the program. This study also noted that while mothers reported improved child behavior after Triple P interventions, there was no evidence of improvements reported from fathers. Head Start’s Fatherhood Engagement program would allow more dads to participate in Triple P interventions and provide necessary feedback regarding the effectiveness of the Triple P program. The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare gave Triple P as a scientific rating “1” on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the top score, because it is well supported by research evidence. Triple P received a child welfare relevance rating of “2” on a scale of 1-3, with 1 being the highest score, because it is commonly used serve families similar to child welfare populations and likely includes current and former child welfare service recipients. Triple P is also listed on the Promising Practices Network on Children, Families, and Communities operated by the Rand Corporation as a Promising Program. Triple P meets the Social Innovation Fund’s definition of a program with Strong Evidence. A 2009 study funded by the Center for Disease Control, “Population-Based Prevention of Child Maltreatment: The United States Triple P System Population Trial”

(www.16.triplep.net/?pid=2210) , found lower rates of substantiated abuse cases, child out-ofhome placements, and reductions in hospitalizations and emergency room visits for child injuries in the nine counties in South Carolina where Triple P was implemented. The design of the study was a stratified random assignment of 18 medium-sized counties to dissemination and control conditions, controlling for county population size, county poverty rate, and county child abuse rate. The 2 conditions were the Triple P System implementation within an existing workforce and a control setting with services as usual without Triple P implementation. Turner and Sanders (http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/eserv/UQ:107682/U) evaluated the effects of Level 3 Primary Care Triple for parents of children between 2-6 years of age with no diagnosis of a developmental delay, developmental disorder or ADHD. A randomized design with repeated-measures was used with a waiting list control group in a primary care setting. A six-month follow-up assessment was also conducted to evaluate maintenance of intervention effects. The hypothesis was that families participating in the Primary Care intervention would, in comparison to the control group, have a greater decrease in child behavior problems, more appropriate positive parenting strategies, greater parenting confidence, improved parental adjustment, and maintenance of intervention gains at the 6-month follow-up. Results of the study found support for the hypotheses developed with implications for broad dissemination. Practitioners trained throughout the state responded positively to Triple P. In addition, the Triple P Training Outcome Reports, based on pre and post evaluations by practitioners, revealed high satisfaction ratings for trainings and significant improvements in parent consultation skills following Triple P trainings. An analysis of the Triple P data entered by Level 3 practitioners into the Client Scoring Application of the Triple P website revealed that parents reported a high level of satisfaction with the program on the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. On a scale of 1-

7, with 1 being poor / dissatisfied and 7 being excellent / satisfaction, the average response was 5.61, with a range of 4.46-6.92. (See attached sample of Client Satisfaction Questionnaire). The Parenting Experience Survey was not available on the Triple P Client Scoring Application, but was recently added to the customized Louisiana data collection system. Information provided by Level 3 and Level 4 Triple P practitioners in an August 2011 survey revealed that 95.3 of the respondents found peer support meetings helpful. Those who had begun implementation of the program reported positive experiences in using Triple P, and also received positive comments from parents with whom they worked. Some responses from practitioners include: “I love how easy this program is to show to work with parents. The program gives providers continuous support which has been very beneficial to the program’s implementation”. “I love using it…it’s very applicable to today’s families and easy to implement should parents chose to follow the guidelines of Triple P.” “I think the material is very good to use, since it is hands-on and engages the parents.” The following are examples of comments that practitioners have heard from parents: “Loved Triple P! Triple P worked with my stepchildren…when nothing else would!” “The parents that I’ve worked with love the program. They are very happy with how effective the program is. They also comment about the peace they now have in their homes. They absolutely love the program.” “ One of my clients stated that she feels hopeful again, and that she enjoys being a parent again.” “This has changed me. So as I change, I see changes in my kids.” “Really like the tip sheets”, “like being able to talk to someone about being a mom.”

The program will be monitored for quality and fidelity to the model and performance improvement through peer support activities, direct consultations, and involvement of supervisory personnel at participating agencies. The Triple P practitioners will complete session checklists as recommended by Triple P to enhance compliance with the model. The Client Scoring Application on the Triple P website is available to accredited Triple P practitioners to report information on families served and to assist in scoring of various assessment measures. In order to have greater access to more extensive Triple P data from Louisiana practitioners, a customized Triple P data system (http://louisiana.triplep.org) was developed by LPCF in conjunction with Triple P America and the Technology Manager in Australia. This system, developed with funds from the Early Childhood Advisory Council (BrightStart) grant, was implemented in September 2012 and would be used for data collections for SIF evaluation purposes. Practitioners will be able to enter data from parents, including preand post-tests and satisfaction questionnaires. This system can be renewed annually and would be used for data collection for the SIF evaluation process. The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families has extensive experience with external reviewer in evaluating outcomes for numerous programs. The Louisiana Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trust Fund sponsored various LPCF initiatives, including Triple P, over the past several years, and required reporting on program outcomes as outlined in the grants. Other LPCF funders, including the Early Child Advisory Council (BrightStart) and Baptist Community Ministries, have similar requirements. The LPCF has utilized evaluation information from Triple P practitioners from the initial implementation of the statewide pilot program to improve the program and organization. LPCFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organizational structure has been enhanced with staff needed for expansion of the

program’s implementation and management. The Director of Parenting Education and the Program Assistant were hired within the last year through allocation of various resources from public and private funders. Organizational Background The mission of the Partnership is to improve the well-being of children and their families through public advocacy, communication and the promotion of evidence-based programs. The Partnership led the following successful efforts that today are critical to Louisiana’s children: BrightStart, a statewide initiative that provides a comprehensive advocacy system for children ages 0-5 to assure that when they enter kindergarten, they are ready to learn; LAPEN, the Louisiana Parenting Education Network, which ensures parents receive the support and education they need to give their children a better start in life; Triple P Positive Parenting Program, a statewide implementation of an evidence based parenting program; and LAASR, the Louisiana Alliance for Shared Resources, an innovative program dedicated to assisting early care and education programs in making the most of available funds by lowering costs, improving financial stability and increasing quality. As well, the Partnership has publically endorsed Quality Start, which is designed to support improvement in Louisiana’s childcare industry. Childcare centers are business and must face the same challenges and rigors any business is forced to deal with on a daily basis. The goal of the Quality Start system is the improvement of Louisiana’s childcare industry. In 2007, the Partnership led passage of School Readiness Tax Credits (SRTC). No other state has such a package of tax credits in place that act to support quality childcare. SRTCs are available to employers as refundable state tax credits based upon a percentage of eligible expenses incurred

in support of childcare centers participating in Quality Start. An SRTC may also be a refundable state tax credit for donations made to childcare resource and referral agencies. In its 2012 session, and at the urging of the Partnership, the legislature unanimously passed Act 3, the Early Childhood Education Act. At first, the Act gained little notoriety, and then the Partnership took on a leadership mantel as chief watchdog for the design and implementation of Act 3. Numerous documents supporting the Act, its provisions, and recommendations for change have been issued by the Partnership’s Policy Institute, to plaudit statewide reviews. The Partnership’s work coordinating the statewide implementation of Triple P Positive Parenting Program over the last 2 years demonstrates the organization’s experience and ability in addressing early childhood interventions relative to this proposal. In addition, through the leadership and support provided by the Partnership in the establishment and growth of the LAPEN, the organization continued to promote evidence-based practices and effective early intervention initiatives. The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families works its mission in several other ways. First is advocacy. The Partnership is the state’s leading voice for children zero to five. In that role LPCF works with child caring organizations across the state to impact legislation designed to help raise Louisiana from its current educational ranking of 49th nationally. At the heart of this sad statistic is the fact that many impoverished parents (which Louisiana also holds sad national leadership) are so consumed with scratching out a daily survival, that they are forced to pay less attention to their children than either they or experts would like. These children are often left untended, unnurtured, and undernourished. As the child ages, eventually the time comes when public education comes on line and it often replaces or supplants the parent(s) in regularly feeding these children, transporting them to school and supervising and providing for them in an

educational setting for six to eight hours a day. There is an old adage that says that if a child comes to school hungry, he will think of nothing less. However, even adequate nutrition isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sufficient. The fortunate child responds quickly to this opportunity and excels in his new surroundings. Unfortunately, half of Louisianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children though walk through these school doors for the first time unprepared to learn, fall quickly behind, and never catch up. It has taken the rest of us too long to discover that the period before Kindergarten is the best time to excite young lives toward learning. A growing majority of early childhood experts agree that children in more well off homes are adequately fed, read to, sung to, played with, hugged, and disciplined. These kids tend to relate to their peers in a manner that encourages self- worth. These children are primed to succeed. And so, when these lucky kids are walked through the doors by a parent on their first day of school, they often know their ABCs already; they can count to a hundred; they know how to write their names as well as their basic contact information, they know how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency; they instinctively know when valuable information is being put before them, how to process it, and how to put it to work; and they know the difference between right and wrong. They know how to use learning tools and, perhaps even more importantly, they know how to behave, how to relate to peers, and how to relate to encourage their teachers to feed them knowledge. Children from less well-off homes often walk through those school doors alone and with no idea how to behave, or what to expect. They start out behind and in the next years fall even further behind, losing even more time trying both to catch up and to learn all the skills and behaviors that other children bring with them on that same first day. These children are often disruptive to learning by the other kids and cause what is sometimes described as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;dumbing

down of public education.” Ultimately, many of these children will drop out, live in poverty, cause social problems, and be imprisoned at far higher rates that their fortunate peers. At age zero, they are lives and minds in danger of being wasted. On the November 18, 2012 presentation of 60 Minutes, reporter Leslie Stahl hosted a segment called The Baby Lab (available on YouTube). It was another retelling of what is becoming a familiar story: Children as young as three months have the cognitive ability to learn and make decisions. The minds of children zero to five grow at an astounding rate. Many experts in fact believe that the learning abilities of children zero to three exceed those of most other older children. Language skills are an oft-given example. It is not usual for children in first grade to be learning practical English skills at the same time they are learning other languages – that’s other “languages” as in plural. By not stimulating these minds toward learning, we are in many instances condemning these children to a lesser potential. In addition, by concentrating on those that come to school behind, we penalize others in their classes that are ready to learn at faster rates. In addition, not only are the better prepared children punished, our state and our country often lose what might become wonderful contributions to our state’s welfare and growth because their parents – and we – did not help these children get a good start. In May of 2012, the Louisiana Legislature unanimously passed Act 3, the Early Education Act. It is an attempt to standardize requirements of early care for the Departments of Education, Children and Families, and Health and Hospitals, governing early childhood care and education. The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families is fully supportive of everything that positively focuses on improving early childhood education, opportunities and care, and, while applauding the state’s intentions with Act 3, LPCF has realized concerns over funding, the grading of licensed child care centers, and other aspects of the Act. For example, there is a good

possibility that raising standards for child care and child care professionals will ultimately require licensed child care centers, which so often take the place of parents for more than half the waking hours of children zero to five, to raise their fees, thus unintentionally forcing many impoverished, and other parents, to seek less costly child care solutions…..often pulling their kids from higher quality centers in favor of “mom and pop” unlicensed centers, which may offer little to no mental stimulation. Therefore, it is possible that Act 3, while aimed at improving Louisiana children’s readiness for school, because of increased fees charged by licensed higher quality childcare centers, may actually encourage parents to move their children to unlicensed centers that are not held to the standards created. There the children will have less of a chance to be stimulated….at the very point in his life when they are most ready to learn. The Partnership not only advocates for these and other pro-child causes, it walks the talk. It partners with Tulane University and the Children’s Trust Fund to train parenting educators in Triple P (Positive Parenting Program). Parents who themselves were brought up hugged, sung to, read to, disciplined, and so forth tend to bring their kids up in the same fashion, and vice versa. There are too many instances where a parent’s parents were not so well trained, or were preoccupied, or stressed out and trying to cope with earning enough money to support a family adequately. Parents in poverty or at risk of poverty are even less likely to offer a home life conducive to or encouraging of taking advantage of public education. This is even more often the case for the growing number of single parents. These parents need help in learning the skills required to change the paths ahead for their children. That is where Triple P instruction is critical. Thanks to Tulane and the Children’s Trust Fund, The Partnership is funded to train parenting educators across the state. Triple P is a five level process that has proven its worth in Australia

where it was created (also showcased on 60 Minutes). Triple P is administered for the Partnership by the Director of Parenting Education. Finally, through LAASR, the Louisiana Alliance for Shared Resources, the Partnership is able to work with early care and education providers to offer opportunities to reduce costs through sharing, thus making more dollars available to train and pay quality staff. The Louisiana Partnership or Children and Families enjoys collaborative and other relationships with the following organizations: Advantous Consulting, LLC Agenda for Children Atmos Entergy Broadmoor Improvement Association Child Care Association of Louisiana Children’s Bureau of New Orleans Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana Family & Youth Counseling Agency Institute of Mental Hygiene Knock Knock Children’s Museum League of Women Voters of Louisiana Louisiana CASA Association Louisiana Center for Afterschool Learning Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault MedImmune NASW-LA Chapter

Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana Regina Coeli Child Developmental Center Team Dynamics, LLC Total Community Action United Healthcare Community Plan Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge Kenyette Gaines, Program Assistant – Provides administrative support for Triple P training and support, and handles grant management reporting. Ms. Gaines’ experience includes administrative support, grants management and social services coordination including disaster relief. Prior work experience includes serving as Program Manager for Shoulders of Strength Early Step Agency, Case Manager for Catholic Charities, Diocese of Baton Rouge Disaster Relief, and Program Coordinator for Families Associated in Therapeutic Habilitation. Kenyette earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice at Grambling State University. Lenell Young, Director of Parenting Education , coordinates Triple P, including training, peer support, data collection and evaluation. Ms. Young has a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Louisiana State University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified School Psychologist with 21 years of experience in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System as a School Psychologist, Team Manager and Coordinator of Pupil Appraisal Services. She later managed the YWCA’s Early Head Start Mental Health program for three years and was subsequently named Project Manager of the Y’s Alpha and Omega Community Health Grant. She has also worked as an independent consultant for West Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupee Parish Head Start programs. Lenell is a Level III certified Louisiana Pathways Child Care Career Development System trainer. She also has Level 2 and Level 3 Triple P accreditation and

coordinated regional Triple P Peer Support groups for practitioners trained through the Louisiana Triple P pilot program. Kenneth L. Hinrichs is the Executive Director, Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families. Mr. Hinrichs is a graduate of Purdue University where he earned a B.A. in English Literature and Speech Correction. His nonprofit career began in 1978 where he served as Vice President for Fund Raising for Lake Area United Way in Gary, Indiana. Later he served as Senior Fund Raising Manager for the Tarrant County United Way in Fort Worth, Texas and as Vice President, for Fund Raising for the Tulsa Area United Way in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His first tenure as President and Chief Professional Officers was for the United Way of Southwest Michigan in Benton Harbor; for ten years at Capital Area United Way in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and finally at the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut in New London. Other career posts included radio and television announcer duties in Lafayette, South Bend, and GaryHammond, all in Indiana. Hinrichs additionally served as Affiliate Executive Director for the Wyoming Affiliate of the American Heart Association, as Interim Executive Director for Safe Shelter (a battered womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shelter) in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Interim President and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast in the Florida Panhandle, and as Interim President and CEO for Hope Ministries in Baton Rouge. Mr. Hinrichs has served on various childrenfocused, homeless, and sexual assault organizations in each of his professional assignments. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Engineering Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and served as a Company Commander, U.S. Army, Danang, Vietnam. Organizationally, the Partnership has been (and remains) a recipient of a federal grant through the Louisiana Department of Children and Families Services, Tulane University and the Tulane Educational Fund to coordinate LAPEN activities, meetings of the LAPEN Guidance Team, to

assist in the development of a career ladder for parent educators, to promote the registry of parent educators among public and private agencies, to review and analyze data collected by the LAPEN registry as to the background and training of parent educators and the curriculums and models being used in the state, to compile a list of parenting education models where the models are evidence based, to coordinate an annual LAPEN summit and other trainings, to maintain contacts with national organizations such as the National Parenting Education Network and the National Resource Center for Community-Based Abuse Prevention, to assist BrightStart with other projects related to parent education, and to report monthly on the progress of these responsibilities. LPCF has successfully expanded the implementation of the Triple P Positive Parenting Program model throughout the state, having coordinated the training and peer support for 115 practitioners over the last two years. These practitioners represent 56 different agencies, and some have been trained at multiple Triple P Levels. The Director of Parenting Education planned trainings in conjunction with other Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trust Fund grant recipients and with additional public and private funds. To date, Triple P trainings have been provided for Level 2, Level 3, Level 4 Standard, Level 4 Group, and Level 4 Standard Teen. Level 5 has been audited by the Parenting Education Director for future trainings in Louisiana. In addition, the Louisiana Parenting Education Network (LAPEN) has expanded under LPCF and its registry of parenting educators increased from 125 in April 2011 to a current number of 250 registrants. LAPEN continues to hold an Annual Summit with funding from Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trust Fund through LPCF. There were 184 participants from around the state at the 2012 Summit. In addition, LAPEN continues to work with the LSU School of Social Work in Baton Rouge to develop and

implement a post-graduate parenting education certification program, which is scheduled to begin in early 2013. Foreseen obstacles to increasing the evidence and expanding the proposed program model including time for practitioners to implement Triple P and comply with data reporting requirements in addition to their other work responsibilities. In addition, consistent attendance of parents at planned parenting education sessions due to work, transportation, possibly some resistance, and other factors could hinder implementation efforts. Support from Head Start supervisors, peer support and consultations will help address these challenges. The Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families operates with three full time and one part time staff. Two staff members, Lenell Young (LAPEN and Triple P) and Melanie Bronfin (Policy Institute), are grant funded for specific tasks. Kenyette Gaines is part time, serves as bookkeeper, clerical support, and receptionist. Ken Hinrichs, as Executive Director, is the public voice of the Partnership, works with the Board of Directors, the Advisory Council, and all committees. The Partnership receives strong support from its board. That said, the challenge for The Partnership on a day-to-day basis is to find the time, the personnel, and the unrestricted funds to accomplish everything that a typical nonprofit would attempt. The Partnership is grateful for the unrestricted support of both the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trust Fund and the Institute of Mental Hygiene, which funds a portion of all operating needs as well as the major portion of the salaries and wages for Gaines and Hinrichs. Remaining operating expenses are paid for by a line item ten percent budget allotment from each grant, as well as from membership fees and donations. The Partnership operated since 2004 following the merger of two like-missioned organizations but never had a formal office or executive director until July 1,

2012 when an IMH grant required them and when the IMH and CTF unrestricted grants permitted the funding of the bulk of these expenses.

From the Partnership’s 2012 annual budget of $479,609, $467,353 is derived from government and foundation grants. Prior to July 1, 2012, little general fund raising had been attempted (although some donations came unsolicited) other than to secure memberships at the annual meeting. A 2013 budget, not including CAUW SIF funds or several other smaller grant applications, and preliminarily requiring a $578,000 budget, is being prepared for board presentation. It will require an increase in unrestricted, membership, and donation fund raising of approximately $150,000, of which $15,000 will likely come from new grant revenue. Work is underway to achieve this goal and prospects are good. The 2012 budget is attached. Several initiatives are underway to secure the full $100,000 CAUW-SIF match required. Unfortunately, responses to these requests occur after CAUW’s December 7 grant application deadline. Meantime, The Children’s Trust Fund has agreed to place $25,000 from its unrestricted Partnership grant to allow time for the Partnership to secure the $100,000 needed. These are not federal funds. The Partnership is currently funded by eight grants: six private foundation grants, two corporate grants managed by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, two federal grants managed by Tulane University, and four Children’s Trust Fund grants. Thus the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families accounting, tracking and bookkeeping abilities are diverse, competent, proven require substantial back-up, and from a cash-flow view, must anticipate federal grant reimbursement for grant funds spent, which often results in fewer funds returned, then spent. Expenses for each grant are tracked on separate Excel spreadsheets. The Partnership is contracts with Brenda Pipes, CPA for formal bookkeeping, and hires TRWU (formerly Thomas, Ragusa,

Wilson and Uffman CPAs and Financial Advisors to prepare its IRS Form 990 and Reviewed Financial Statements.