Agenda Item # 6
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
August 12, 2014
Agenda Report # 16
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Home Visiting Program (Parents as Teachers, Healthy Families)
INITIATED BY: Jennifer Davidson, Cooperative Extension
Recommendation: Authorize the City Manager to apply to and if funded by, accept
a grant of $297,000 or as otherwise awarded, from the Governor?s Office for
Children and Families (federal Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home
Visiting Program), with no local match required, and adjust the
Multi-Governmental Fund by the amount of the award.
Background: What happens in early childhood matters for a lifetime.
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.
*Six Georgia counties were selected to participate in the first funding cycle.
The selection of the counties was based on a state-wide needs assessment by the
Division of Public Health. The counties have the capacity to implement home
visitation as a service strategy in a comprehensive Early Childhood System of
Care. The Zero-To-Three Task Force (SOC) in Columbus accepted the opportunity
to implement at least two Home Visitation evidence-based models and work
together on 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).
*Key points of Early Childhood 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 HV Models chosen by GOCF are Parents As Teachers, Healthy Families Georgia,
and Early Head Start: Home-Based Option. State-level Training/TA with
Continuous Quality Improvement will support model fidelity.
* All deliverables required were met during year #3 (10-01-13 to 09-30-14);
therefore, Columbus is eligible to receive year #4 funding to continue the
community plan. The contract for year #4 will be implemented for the grant
period: 10/01/2014 to 09/30/2015.
*The mission of the Governor?s Office on Children and Families is to build
capacity in communities using the System of Care approach.
Analysis: This grant will enable the continuation of home-visitation and
evidenced-based parent education programming in order to reach more children
and parents. There is no cost to the participants. UGA Cooperative Extension
is a recognized leader in the delivery of high quality trainings and is a
collaborator with others who need training and resources.
*This grant will provide leverage dollars to secure additional grant funding.
All transactions will be conducted through Local Government Finance System.
Grant period projected to begin 10/01/2014.
Financial Considerations: The grant is for a total of $297,000 for the home
visiting programs, Parents as teachers and Healthy Families, also, first
Steps. No local match required.
Legal Considerations: The applicant, Columbus Consolidated Government (for
Cooperative Extension), is eligible to receive these funds.
Recommendation/Action: Authorize the City Manager to apply and if awarded
accept the $297,000 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 CITY MANAGER TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT GRANT FUNDS
FROM THE GOVERNOR?S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF $297,000, OR AS
OTHERWISE AWARDED, WITH NO LOCAL MATCH REQUIRED, TO FUND EVIDENCE BASED, HOME
VISITATION PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE THE PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN AND TO AMEND THE
MULTI-GOVERNMENTAL FUND BY THE AMOUNT OF THE AWARD.
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 six 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 limited access to pro-active parent education for
families at-risk, in transition, or parents who want to increase their
parenting skills and knowledge; 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 apply for and accept a
grant from the Governor?s Office for Children and Families of $297,000, or as
otherwise awarded, with no local match required, to fund parent education
through evidence based, home visitation model strategy, and authorize amending
the Multi-Governmental fund by the award of the grant.
___________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia,
held the 12th day of August, 2014, 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 ____________.
________________________________ _________________________
Sandra T. Davis, Deputy Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
Attachments
No attachments for this document.