Agenda Item # 6
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
September 10, 2013
Agenda Report # 26
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Early Childhood System of Care & Home Visiting Program
INITIATED BY: Cooperative Extension
Recommendation: Approval is requested to submit an application and if approved
accept a grant of $297,815, 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.
*The community EC-SOC will select the appropriate HV models, agree to follow
the Federal guidelines and work with the State EC-SOC Management and TA Teams.
All deliverables required were met during year #2 (10-01-12 to 09-30-13);
therefore, Columbus is eligible to receive year #3 funding to continue the
community plan. The contract for year #3 will be implemented for the grant
period: 10/01/2013 to 09/30/2014.
*The mission of the Governor?s Office on Children and Families is to build
capacity in communities using the System of Care approach. Zero-To-Three Task
Force is composed of community partners who have interest in and/or services
for very young children and their parents, is facilitating development of Early
Childhood SOC that addresses the target audience so children are ready to
succeed when they enter school.
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.
**Collective Impact Initiatives (the strategy for EC-SOC 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.
**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 10/01/2013.
Financial Considerations: The grant is for a total of $297,815 for the EC-SOC
and HVP strategy. Funding requests, if deliverables are met, will be
available for at least two years. 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 City Manager to accept the $297,815 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 $297,815, OR AS
OTHERWISE AWARDED, WITH NO LOCAL MATCH REQUIRED, 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 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 submit an application
and, if approved, accept a $297,815, or as otherwise award, grant from the
Governor?s Office for Children and Families to fund parent education through
evidence based, home visitation model strategy under Early Childhood System of
Care, and authorizing amending the Multi-Governmental Grant Fund by the award
of the grant.
_____________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia,
held the 10th of September 2013, 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 Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_____________________________
_________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike
Tomlinson, Mayor
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