Building Communities to Strengthen Families

Building Communities to Strengthen Families

Network Meeting & Planning Session Notes from 9/24/2015

39 attendees

1) Being as specific as possible, identify program and initiatives that are working for families (& children) in So. IL?

CCR&RLincoln PrairieMan-tra-Con
DHS Call in SystemEgyptian HealthDCFS – HOPE
Early Head Start / Head StartVine – Food PantryLSSI
LibrariesCelebrate RecoveryBig Muddy
Safe FamiliesEye DoctorsWestern Egyptian
LighthouseCrosswalkC’daleThrift Store
Feed My SheepDiaper Bank of SISwain Furniture
House of HopeGood SamaritanLegion
Bethel AMEUnited Methodist – C’daleLions
Women’s CenterMarch of Faith – C’daleVictory Dream Center
Caregiver ConnectionsHUBOvercomers
Angel’s CoveSIH – Baby & FamilyHospice
Archway (Parenting)Williamson Co. Prog. For AgingNursing Home
So. Region (Parenting)Jackson Co. Health DeptAddus
Marion Rehab ProgramSIC4 C’s
Harvest Del. CenterCarterville Comm. PantryCreate-a-Smile
Special Ed.Dorrisville BaptistDental Safari
Black Diamond Harley DavidsonShrinersPolice / Fire Dept.
Center for AutismFowler & Bonan FoundationAustin Wade Foundation
Verizon in HarrisburgWal-martTarget
KrogersPACT – Harrisburg LibrariesElks
March of DimesLocal schoolsMom’s Day Out
MOPS/Mothers of PreschoolersKiwanasRotary
Dr. Handerk (Eldorado)United Way4-H
United WayMake-A-Wish FoundationSt. Jude
Southern IllinoisianHappy Feet Legend of SIReady to Learn – PBS Kids
Ministerial AlliancesHomevisitingOblong Christian Children’s Hm.
Touch of NatureWICSalvation Army
Shawnee Clinic, etc.Science CenterAdvocacy Center
Cedar HurstIDNR – Forest ServiceRIDES Bus Transit
Friends of ConwrCASAU. of I. Extension – INEP
CenterstoneLunch BunchGum Drops
Boys & Girls Club of C’daleLife Community CenterFamily Vacation Night
Farmer’s MarketsBig Brother / Big SisterTeen Challenge
Early Intervention Pre-KDay Care / Child Care
Modern Woodmen of Am.Classic for KidsAfter School Programs
Senior CareBaby TalkHousing Authorities
Literacy ProgramsPoshard FoundationsCare-i-tots (C’ville)
ROE #21: McKinney Foundation, Coats for Kids, Kids FundingAdolescent Health Center
Coalition: Healthy Children, Healthy Families, SI Families

2) Identify where you do you see gaps in programs and services that support families.
1. We are serving families that are much lower functioning and they slip through the system.
2. Families need help maneuvering the system.
3. Process for referral for services need to be smoother.
4. Families are not on board for referrals to services.
5. Doctor said child alright or wait, need doctor to support identification of delay & need for
referral. More parents are taking children to any doctor instead of pediatrician who has
more training on child development.
6. Parents need to know how “early” and “now” is important.
7. Too much red tape.
8. Child care subsidy changes in eligibility.
9. Gaps between transitions between child care & schools and between EI & Pre-K.
10. Transportation to/from pre-school, child care, early education.
11. Access to program of parent’s preference and of child’s needs.
12. Children who don’t qualify for 3-5 program but are not ready for K, so set out for a year.
13. Families are in survival mode, in homeless shelter, woods, or multiple families in 1 housing.
14. Child psychologist, all pediatric specific services are not enough in this area, often not avail.
15. Speech Therapist needs to be in child care centers & available for child who scores “below”.
16. Long waiting lists to see child psychiatrist for prescription.
17. 0-5 mental health services are not available.
18. Transportation (esp. when bus doesn’t run & in rural areas where there is none.
19. After-hour care (evening, overnight, 24 hr. care) & weekend care.
20. Tutoring needed.
21. Need a Master Resource List everyone can use.
22. How do we know when new families move into area? How do they know where resources
are? Need Welcome group to welcome new families & give info. on community resources.
23. Need more Family Friendly events (outside of students). Need transportation to events.
24. Parenting Education including daily living skills.
25. Training of staff to work with generational poverty families.
26. There is a gap to access to fresh/healthy food.
27. Gap for Upper-Lower or middle income being able to pay for child care, etc.
28. Gap in Veteran supports – homelessness, help finding resources before homeless, etc.
29. Gap in parents feeling empowered, resilient.
30. English Language Learners’ resources & agency’s ability to communicate in 1st language.
31. Resources to deal with myths and misinformation – at delivery, someone or classes.
32. No “Pre-school for All” for families who don’t qualify for 3-5 criteria. Main resource
available at local libraries. There is a lack of knowledge of library programs. (Need PR.)
33. Social isolation, esp. due to transportation, rural isolation, lack of exposure to events and
experiences.
34. Need to track communities regarding their remoteness/isolation and lack of resources.
35. All families don’t have phones or minutes. (EI takes phones so families can call drs.)
36. Need to utilize churches.
37. Lack of interpersonal relationships (dialogue opportunities).
38. High Schools should look into dual enrollment for internships as well as higher education.
39. Need to individualize family.
40. Money, money, money!

3) What role do you think the Coalition could/should play in supporting strong families?

Education – overall well-being
Overall support / connections
Fill in gaps, funds with flexibility
Identify / share resources and information
Evidenced based / quality into work, data, analysis to support outcomes needed, data collection
Identifying and sharing best practices
Parenting education, parent leadership, parent empowerment: “teach parent to fish”
Identify barriers
Pooling resources
Funding / distributing funds
Advocacy
Strategic Planning
Professional Development -- to deal with rapid changes
Database
Promoting Warm Hand Off / systems to make that happen
Networking / Collaboration
Outreach to coordination
Facilitate infrastructure tools
Connecting Early Learning + School Age > Teen > Adult Continuum, Educational Systems
Dedicating energy: why people aren’t on our list – what would bring them here?
Using technology infrastructure to connect education (life skills)
Organizing all information – one source
Provide knowledge on how to meet goals – connect T.A.
Networking, building relationship
Marketing, awareness
Providing credibility
Strength in numbers
Input / opportunities to be engaged
Pooling resources / skills / traits & types
Model, share
Viable
Collective vision, whole child / family, balanced approach

4) Identify partners and allies for our work (individuals, programs, businesses, government officials and leaders, etc.). Be as specific as possible.

Churches
Family Doctors
Mental Health
Law Enforcement
Social Services
Resource Book
DCFS/Lutheran Social Services
Man-tra-con
DHS
Libraries

Top 10 Goals forFamilies that Coalition should be involved in( in priority order- as per votes by attendees)

1)Food (19)

2)Increased parent knowledge and awareness(18)

3)Education as a core priority for family (17)

Reliable transportation (17)

4)Safe and affordable housing (15)

5)Social and emotional development (11)

6)Connections/ caring communities and environment (10)

7)Screenings (7)

8)Access and quality medical care (6)

9)Parenting Classes ( 5)

10)Child Care/ Early learning (4)

Next Steps:

Send out notes to attendees

Survey about meeting/ dates, times, how often

Come back together- identify up to 3 projects/ initiatives the Coalition can undertake

In regard to our overall goal of building strong families

Develop workplan( similar to early learning)

Begin work