Agenda Item # 4
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
January 22, 2013
Agenda Report # 011
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Early Childhood System of Care & Home Visiting Partners
INITIATED BY: Cooperative Extension
Recommendation: Approval is requested to submit an application and if approved
accept a grant in the amount of $297,815 from the Governor?s Office for
Children and Families (Early Childhood System of Care and Home Visitation
Partnership) contract (#HF13-003) and adjust the Multi-Governmental Fund by the
grant amount. No local match is required.
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 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, based on a state-wide needs assessment by
Division of Public Health, to participate in the first funding cycle. They
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.
Local proposal and budget developed during May and June, reviewed in July with
final proposal due August 1, 2011; contract in place by 10-01-11; and serving
new families through home-visitation by 01-01-2012. All deliverables required
were met during year #1 (10-01-11 to 09-30-12); therefore, Columbus was
eligible to receive Year #2 funding to continue the community plan.
*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, 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,
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 delivery of high quality training and, as 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 is 10/01/2012 to 09/30/2013.
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 three years. No local match required. This is a performance-based
contract.
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 sign 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 TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AND IF APPROVED ACCEPT GRANT
FUNDS AND EXECUTE GRANT CONTRACT WITH THE GOVERNOR?S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES FOR $297,815 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 $297,815.
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 hereby authorized to submit an application and
if approved accept a grant and execute a contract with the Governor?s Office
for Children and Families of $297,815 to fund parent education through evidence
based, home visitation model strategy under Early Childhood System of Care, and
authorize amending the Multi-Governmental fund by the award of the grant. No
local match required.
__________________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia,
held the 22nd day of January, 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 Thomas voting ____________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting ____________.
Councilor Woodson voting ____________.
____________________________________ ______________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
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