Agenda Item #_______
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
January 10, 2012
Agenda Report #_______
TO: Mayor and Councilors
SUBJECT: Early Childhood System Care & Home Visiting Program
INITIATED BY: Cooperative Extension Service
Recommendation: Authorize the Mayor to accept a grant of $ 75,000 from the
Governor?s Office for Children and Families (federal Maternal, Infant and Early
Childhood Home Visiting Program) and adjust the Multi-Governmental Fund by the
grant amount.
Background: What happens in early childhood matters for a life time.
Neuroscience indicates that providing supportive and positive conditions for
early childhood development is more effective and less costly than addressing
consequences of adversity later. Since education begins at home and parents are
their children?s first and most influential teachers, educating and supporting
parents is a logical strategy.
*Federal Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program was created
in 2010 with funding available for each State for Evidence Based Home Visiting
Programs. The Governor?s Office for Children and Families was designated as
the lead agency in Georgia. Funding is expected through September 2015.
* The Early Childhood System of Care in Columbus has an opportunity to
implement a community outreach and community awareness campaign and central
intake for the implementation of maternal, infant and early childhood home
visiting Program in accordance with the proposal and community plan as approved
by the GOCF, and as amended with an additional contract. These additional
funds will enable hiring an ECSOC Specialist and a Community Peer Liaison to
assist in fulfilling the goals of the MIECHV Program at the local level and
ensure that the goals are integrated with the larger vision of the ECSOC.
*The community-based, comprehensive home visiting strategy is directed toward
six outcome/benchmark areas (improved infant and maternal health; prevention of
child injuries, maltreatment and reduction in ER visits; improvement in school
readiness and achievement; reduction in crime and domestic violence;
improvement in family economic self-sufficiency; improvements in coordination
of and referrals for community resources and supports). Community indicators
place us at high-risk level.
*Key points of a System of Care: universal approach to supporting expectant
families and children 0 to 5 years; requires strong coordination and
collaboration among partners; provides something for everyone; based on idea
that all can benefit from support; all services are voluntary. The HVP Models
chosen are Parents As Teachers, Healthy Families Georgia, and Nurse-Family
Partnership. State-level Technical Assistance with Continuous Quality
Improvement will support model fidelity.
ANALYSIS: This grant will provide additional dollars to enable the expansion
of community outreach and facilitate the role of home visiting in linking
families to other community resources and services in a coordinated way by
hiring an ECSOC Specialist and Community Peer Liaison. UGA Cooperative
Extension is a recognized leader in delivery of high quality programs and
community collaborator.
**Collective Impact Initiatives (the strategy for ECSOC in Columbus) are
long-term commitments by a group of important stakeholders from different
sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem. Their
actions are supported by a shared measurement system, mutually reinforcing
activities and ongoing communication, and are staffed by an independent
backbone organization.
**Funds provided by this contract are U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Affordable Care Act,
Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, and may only be
used for the Program. All transactions will be conducted through Local
Government Finance System. Grant period to begin 01/01/2012.
Financial Considerations: The grant is for a total of $75,000 for the ECSOC
comprehensive home visiting strategy. This is a fixed-cost for
performance-based agreement. No local match required.
Legal Considerations: The applicant, Columbus Consolidated Government (for
Cooperative Extension?s Positive Parenting Program), is eligible to receive
these funds.
Recommendation/Action: Authorize the Mayor to accept the $75,000 grant from the
Governor?s Office for Children and Families and adjust the Multi-Governmental
Fund by the grant amount.
A RESOLUTION
No. ___________
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT GRANT FUNDS FROM THE
GOVERNOR?S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF $75,000 TO FUND EARLY CHILDHOOD
SYSTEM OF CARE EVIDENCE BASED, HOME VISITATION PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE THE PARENTS
OF YOUNG CHILDREN AND TO AMEND THE MULTI-GOVERNMENTAL FUND BY A LIKE AMOUNT OF
$75.000.
WHEREAS, the funds have been made available from the Governor?s Office
For Children and Families for the purpose of evidence based, home visitation
programs for parenting education under an Early Childhood System Of Care that
addresses Federal home visiting benchmark areas and constructs; and, Muscogee
was selected as one of seven counties eligible to apply; and,
WHEREAS, the UGA Cooperative Extension in Columbus has operated Parents
As Teachers, a home visiting parenting education program, under the umbrella of
Positive Parenting Program; and,
WHEREAS, there is a need to increase the knowledge and skills of
parents with young children so that they can provide a nurturing and safe
environment while acting as their children?s first teachers; and,
WHEREAS, parent education through evidence based, home visiting models
is a proven strategy to prevent child maltreatment, improve maternal and
newborn health, improve school readiness and achievement, and improve
coordination and referrals for other community resources and supports; and,
WHEREAS, there is a need to conduct a community outreach and awareness
campaign, to enhance the central intake function for Program implementation;
and,
WHEREAS, it is important to engage in the Collective Impact philosophy and
practice in order to solve big social problems.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
That the City Manager is here by authorized to submit an applications
and accept a grant from the Governor?s Office for Children and Families of
$75,000 to fund parent education through evidence based, home visitation models
strategy under Early Childhood System of Care, and authorize amending the
Multi-Governmental fund by the award of the grant, and hire an ECSOC Specialist
and Community Peer Liaison with these funds with no benefits.
_________________________________________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia,
held the 10th day of January 2012, and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of _________members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting ____________
Councilor Baker voting ____________
Councilor Barnes voting ____________
Councilor Davis voting ____________
Councilor Henderson voting ____________
Councilor Huff voting ____________
Councilor McDaniel voting ____________
Councilor Thomas voting ____________
Councilor Turner Pugh voting ____________
Councilor Woodson voting ____________
____________________________________ ______________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
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