Great Start Strategic Plan

Supporting parents as they teach their children from birth to age 5.

Great Start Strategic Plan 2011-2013

Charlevoix, Emmet, and northern Antrim Counties

To all members of our communities: The Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition of Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim Counties proudly call to action all citizens on behalf of our youngest children and their families. Logic, science and education all support the eorts to ensure that our children are healthy and ready to succeed when they enter kindergarten.

The Strategic Plan that follows describes the eorts of the Great Start Collaborative partners and Parent Coalition members – all working to achieve success in learning and life for these young people. The Strategic Plan is a living, breathing document that adjusts to the needs of our young children and their families. For our community to establish resiliency and longterm success in leadership, economics and stability, it is necessary to do all that can be done for children ages zero to five in the areas of physical health, social and emotional health, care and education, basic needs and safety and parent leadership.

For more than five years, the Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition have been working to develop and implement its Strategic Plan. This document outlines our goals and objectives which were developed using local statistics, data indicators and national research.

It is our collective hope that the leaders, residents, business owners, parents, educators and service providers will all respond to the best of their abilities and help each and every young child in our local communities reach for the stars and achieve to their fullest potential.

Sincerely, The Great Start Executive Committee

Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................Page 2 History & Accomplishments .....................................................................Page 3 Mission & Vision .......................................................................................Page 3 Great Start System Component Review .............................................. Pages 5-6 Strategic Review .................................................................................. Pages 7-8 Infrastructure Review ........................................................................ Pages 9-10

Executive Summary The Great Start Collaborative is made up of more than 30 different participants and organizations from around the community. Representatives from business, health, education, human services, higher education, non-profit, court systems, parents and philanthropy are all meeting together to create a movement in our area that seeks to involve the entire community in supporting families as they raise their young children to succeed in school and in life.

The first five years of a child’s life are a time of immense growth and opportunity. Research tells us that 85% of a child’s brain is developed by the time they are five years of age. To become successful in school and in life, young children must be raised in an environment that promotes physical health, positive social and emotional skills, safety and parent and community support for learning and education.

The Great Start Collaborative came to the end of its first three year Strategic Plan in late 2010 wiser and just as passionate about the next three years! To effectively create another solid and successful Strategic Plan the collaborative first met in November 2010 to review data and priorities for creating goals, strategies and creating a solid foundation for an action agenda.

Listed below are the goals that were created during this process.

Early Care and Learning Goal: Increase the availability of free preschool for children ages three and four.

Basic Needs and Economic Security and Safety Goal: Increase accessibility for families with young children to programs and services in Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim Counties via safe and reliable transportation.

Goal: Increase quality childcare for children birth to age two.

Social and Emotional Health Goal: Promote social and emotional health for children 0-5 and their families through increased family support, prevention and intervention.

Physical Health Goal: Promote physical health through healthy nutrition and physical activity.

Parenting Education and Family Support Goal: Ensure the Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition functions as the one-stop shop for early childhood and parenting resources.

These goals were used by the collaborative as our foundation for creating an action agenda that drives our work to define strategies, resources, roles and responsibilities and progress measures for reaching each of the goals.

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History and Accomplishments The Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim Counties Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition received its first grant from the Early Childhood Investment Corporation in 2006.

The Early Childhood Investment Corporation was created in 2005 to ensure that every young child in Michigan has a GREAT START and arrives at the kindergarten door healthy and ready to succeed in school. There are 54 Great Start Collaboratives around the state that collectively leverage more private and public funds than it costs to run all 54 collaboratives.

Over the last four years our Great Start Collaborative has developed its marketing and communication plan to increase awareness among target audiences. We have created a fund development plan that is fully functioning. An increase in parenting support, connections and leadership has happened through the Parent Coalition, collaborative support, parenting workshops, trainings, meetings and empowerment. Multiple community agencies have come together to braid funds, coordinate services, and collaborate on functions to reach those in need and decrease duplication. A comprehensive longitudinal study was done to show the long term benefits of preschool in our local communities. Together the Collaborative has worked on grants, business support and long term planning for our youngest citizens.

Over the course of the last five years, the Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition has worked to achieve its first set of goals and objectives and successfully accomplished them with pride.

Our Mission Great Start of Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim Counties strengthens our human and economic assets through the development and promotion of a system of support, education and wellness for children aged 0-5 and their families.

Our Vision Our long term vision is that every child born in Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim Counties will have a great start growing and developing in communities that promote safe and healthy learning environments for children and families.

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By 2013 we will: • Provide an increase in 3 and 4 year old preschool experiences for children in poverty.

• Increase safe and reliable transportation options available for families to enhance ease of access to services for young children.

• Increase high quality child care opportunities for children 0-2.

• Establish a firm partnership with PNC Bank and their Way to Grow program.

• Develop an early childhood social and emotional mental health system functioning and supporting families and young children.

• Increase high quality trainings for professionals, providers and parents in infant mental health and child brain development.

• Create a consistent and united message on healthy eating and physical activity to prevent early childhood obesity.

• Decrease in number overweight and obese children accessing the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.

• Establish firm partnerships with health care providers to connect them to early intervention services and programs and better understand what they are seeing and experiencing with young children and families.

• Increase father involvement and engagement in raising young children.

• Educate our legislators and decision makers on the investment of early childhood and be their point of contact when questions arise.

• Maintain an active Parent Coalition to be a voice for parents and children.

• Increase the number of parents and community members connecting and communicating with services and programs through technology and social media.

• Capture data through a 2-1-1 partnership.

• Use 2-1-1 as a tool for families to connect to early childhood resources and programs.

• Serve as the one-stop shop for early childhood resources, information, services and support within the community.

• Increase early childhood investments through grants and private donations.

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Great Start System Component Review Pediatric and Family Health The number of children insured by Medicaid is increasing while the number of health care providers taking new Medicaid patients is declining. In 2008 the two and a quarter counties had 787 live births. In Charlevoix and Emmet Counties the average percent for babies born at a low birth rate was 6.4%. Between the two counties, 24.6% of new mothers reported less than adequate prenatal care (Kids Count, 2010).

The Center for Disease Control reports that 11.9% of children in Michigan were obese.

Numbers locally were higher with 14% in Emmet County and 15.9% in Charlevoix County (F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010 report). Anecdotally, our physicians have reported an increase in children with obesity or overweight issues.

Assessing the February 2011 data from the 0-4 population on Women, Infants, and Children we know that 28-29% of children 1-4 years of age are overweight and about 7% are obese in both Charlevoix and Emmet counties. We are concerned about children who are overweight because of the habits or patterns they are establishing with food, good nutrition, and physical activity that may impact them their entire life.

Infants born to parents who are overweight fall within the same range at 28% - alarming statistics, given the fact that the roots of obesity are in the preschool years and that for children under 8 years of age who are obese, the severity of their obesity as an adult will be greater.

Social and Emotional Health Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim Counties reports 9.5-15.2% of children birth to five experience social and emotional problems that negatively affect their developmental functioning, and school readiness. This is an estimated 363-479 children who may be experiencing social and emotional problems (Kids Count, 2010).

Anecdotally, our physicians have reported an increase in behavior problems for young children, preschool depression, anxiety and mental health issues.

Education and Care Although parents are their children’s primary caregivers and foremost teachers, with the demands of today’s work world, most children are cared for by someone other than one of their parents. In our region, 67% of children have all parents working outside of the home and an estimated 2,754 families participate in childcare.

Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim Counties Great Start Collaborative has a documented need to increase the availability of early care and education that provides the quality of experiences known to improve outcomes for children in their academic future.

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Research clearly shows the direct economic and academic impact on children who receive high quality care and education during the two years immediately preceding their formal schooling. Currently we are serving 54% of the estimated three and four year old population residing in the Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District region. This leaves 46% of our three and four year old population unaccounted for or not served in high quality preschool programs. Currently 180 children are provided comprehensive, high quality experiences through the regional Head Start grantee, Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, and an additional 107 are served through the Great Start Readiness Program. Some 86% of the population served by Head Start and the Great Start Readiness Program fall below the poverty level by 200%, and over a quarter of these children are three year olds. While these services are exemplary, they do not begin to touch the need represented in our communities.

Parenting Education and Family Support Sadly, between the counties in our service area, close to 12% of all teens are giving birth and struggling to raise children. Programs and services have been cut or drastically decreased but the need remains the same.

Programs such as Even Start, a Family Literacy Program designed to improve the academic achievement of parents and their young children through assistance with obtaining a GED or high school diploma (for parents) and school readiness (for children), has been eliminated.

Basic Needs, Economic Security and Child Safety In our service area, 34% of all children age birth to four lives in poverty (Kids Count, 2010).

In Emmet County, an astounding 67% of children ages birth to four receive public assistance through the Women, Infant, and Children’s program.

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Strategic Review As part of the strategic review, the Char-Em ISD Great Start Collaborative worked in groups with collaborative members, parents and community stakeholders to review programs and services for young children offered in the community. Data was looked at to identify needs or gaps. Recurring concerns or issues surfaced and are presented here by component.

Child Safety, Basic Needs and Economic Security Strengths:

• Numerous social service agencies and programs available.

• Good community support for entrepreneurship.

• Good safety system for children such as car seat checks, child protection, bumper sticker campaign, fingerprint safety services.

Weakness:

• State policies that prevent programs.

• Lack of transportation.

• Lack of a good living wage due to seasonal work.

Opportunities: • National and local big push for education.

• Business recognition/workforce development.

• Local access to current programs.

Threats:

• Current economic conditions.

• Family systems falling apart.

• Falling behind in many areas from the rest of the world and state.

Parenting Education and Parenting Support Strengths:

• Opportunities for parents to connect (Head Start policy council support/connections).

• Awareness of offerings of parent support/professional development.

• Different levels of engagement for parents to be involved.

Weaknesses:

• Getting the word out, not enough representation.

• Accessing funding streams outside of agencies to provide training and professional development for parents to incorporate as many as possible.

• The limited funding for professional development.

• Transportation.

Opportunities: • Offering collaborative events (agency) to parents.

• We give parents the opportunity for their voices to be heard.

• Helping parents gain knowledge of available resources in the community.

• Collaboration with other agencies.

Threats:

• Parents are intimidated by the unknowns/overwhelmed.

• Lack the life skills/tools needed.

• Missed opportunities for agencies to network due to less staff, more jobs, etc.

Early Care and Education Strengths:

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• Some free preschool opportunities.

• Access to an associate degree to train teachers of young learners.

• Some professional development opportunities for providers and preschool teachers.

Weaknesses: • Lack of affordable and accessible high quality opportunities (preschool, daycare, etc.) for birth to five.

• Higher education and professional development for providers and teachers to participate due to barriers.

• Lack of availability to care for children birth to age 2.

Opportunities: • Private preschools in the area (approximately 30 total).

• We have professional development opportunities online and through Teach Scholarships.

• We have coordinating agencies.

Threats:

• Financing at private preschools for those children that surface after tuition free sites are full.

• Privately run transportation in schools to help with busing.

• Lack of follow through after professional development.

Statistics:

• 1,475 0-5 year olds on Great Start Network to date.

• 664 three and four year olds on Great Start Network to date.

• 328 being served in Head Start or GSRP to date.

Social/Emotional Strengths:

• Some local resources.

• Strong home visiting programs.

Weakness:

• Requirements to get into Community Mental Health.

• Limited to no infant mental health services.

• Few parenting classes.

Opportunities: • Parenting classes.

• Frey Foundation grant funding.

• Training.

Threats:

• Public lack of awareness of resources.

• Public lack of awareness of the need for resources.

Physical Strengths:

• School and rural based centers.

• Professionals know each other and network.

• Getting Kids Outdoors initiative in Emmet County.

Weaknesses:

• No pediatric specialists with specialty in childhood obesity.

• No research dollars.

• Lack opportunities to play (indoor and outdoor related to physical activity, ties into obesity).

Opportunities: • Medical homes.

• We try to draw research money.

• We have technology and professional development learning to do more with less.

Threats:

• Poor school nutrition.

• Political climate.

• Budget/Michigan economy.

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Infrastructure Review A fully functioning collaborative is always in need of fine tuning and perfecting how it functions for maximum impact. Assessing the infrastructure elements, the following goals were identified.

Collaborative Governance Goal: Ensure diversity of board membership.

Currently the Char-Em ISD Great Start Collaborative has a good representation from agencies, childcare, parents and business. There are some required members that are missing from the group and some members that could move the work of the collaborative forward.

Accountability, Results and Standards Goal: Assure engagement and eectiveness of the collaborative board.

To further the work of the collaborative and engage members, the by-laws and committee commitments will be reviewed annually.

Data and Information Systems Goal: Agencies will share data and information about children and families. There is some use of common forms and data sharing amongst agencies. Moving the idea of sharing to a database where all partners have online access to child and family data as they move from one program to another would reduce duplication of eort in collecting data from families and enable service providers to obtain information on previous services received as well as family strengths and needs.

Community Engagement Goal: The community will be actively engaged in supporting the five component areas. The community is invited to share their expertise in standing committees and work groups.

Communication and Public Will Building Goal: The community will view early childhood initiatives as a priority for Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim Counties. Eorts to disseminate information on early childhood issues have been ongoing through all local media outlets, the website, newsletters, letters to the editor and public speaking engagements. The communication plan will be updated to further disseminate information to community members and decision makers.

Policy-Maker Education Goal: Consistently communicate a clear message.

The Collaborative recognizes that advocacy work is on-going. A short, clear message is important if it is to have lasting impact. Parents are the best advocates. An ongoing education and advocacy packet will be provided for consistent messaging.

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Service System Integration Goal: There is a “no wrong door” system in place for services for young children and their families.

Collaboration on “system building” is necessary in order to connect the services in our community for young families and children.

Goal: Parents, guardians, and service providers working with infants and young children will be knowledgeable of services available in Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim counties.

Promotion of 2-1-1 and the Great Start website will continue by all Collaborative partners and work groups.

Financing and Fund Development Goal: Adequate funding will be available to implement the Action Agenda.

The Collaborative has identified the need to build public will to obtain new revenue sources to support the goals and initiatives of Great Start. A fund development committee will meet monthly to increase funding through public and private sources.

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