Lane County Department of Children and Families (DCF)

Contact Information Serafina Clarke Diana Avery

Warm-up Activity If you are a parent or know a parent, what was or is one of the hardest things about it? Is there one thing that you can think of that would have made or would make a positive difference?

Who Are We? Commission on Children and Families: 21 Member volunteer board: three youth, eighteen additional members, majority lay Department of Children and Families: 6 staff plus an AmeriCorps OSSC service member Broad Focus: Children 0-18 and their families Joint Priorities: prevention, collaboration, mobilizing our community in support of our children, youth and families

Sample of 2009 Highlights Collaborative Efforts: Increased quality infant/toddler child care around Lane County: 95 full-time slots since January 2008 Helped increase the number of FREE summer lunches by 10% to 140,273 meals for children & youth ages 2-18, and supported a new parent pilot program Created new Peer-to-Peer mentoring program for youth with mental health issues: now serving 20 youth Child care in the Courthouse (downtown Eugene) provided a safe place for 330+ children three mornings a week since February 2008

Local Board of County Commissioners Commission Local Commission on Children and Families Department Staff Local Department of Children and Families Director State Commission on Children and Families LegislatureGovernor State Commission Staff

Lane County Department of Children and Families Administration Division Community Mobilization Division Prevention Practices Division

Department & Divisions Overall Department Connect, energize, and mobilize the community promoting the health and well being of all Lane County residents through prevention Administration Division Efficient & effective operations

Department & Divisions Prevention Practices Division Fund effective research-based and innovative prevention programs in the community Community Mobilization Division Build and support community collaborations, service integration, develop resources and engage community in supports for our children, youth and families

Lane County Department of Children and Families Prevention Practices Division Community Mobilization Division CASA Child Care Family Resource Centers Family Support and Connection Healthy Start Relief Nurseries Service Efficiencies Accountability Inclusive Strategic Planning Networking, Education, Training Leveraging Resources Administration Division Advocacy & Public Awareness

Value of Prevention  Parent-child centers, similar to Lane County’s school-based Family Resource Centers, have been shown to “cut crime, welfare and others costs so much that they saved more than $7 for every $1 invested.”  Home-visiting programs, like our local Healthy Start, save taxpayers $4 for each $1 invested

Community Mobilization In 1999, the Oregon Legislative Assembly charged Commissions on Children and Families in every county to create more caring communities through community mobilization. They defined community mobilization as: “…government and private efforts to increase community awareness and facilitate the active participation of citizens and organizations in projects and issues that will have positive impact on the well being of children, families, and communities.”

Strategies In order to build awareness of and support for prevention strategies which build a healthy community, we: 1. Enhance service effectiveness, efficiency and accountability through community collaborations; 2. Leverage public and private resources to invest in prevention programs; 3. Advocate for and increase public awareness of issues and solutions affecting our children, youth and families; 4. Facilitate inclusive community planning, collaboration and decision-making; and, 5. Provide training, education and networking.

Community Planning Process

SB mandate from Oregon State Legislature Comprehensive planning process for services to children, youth and families County-wide participation by all 36 counties Phases I, II and III complete Now Phase IV: Six year timeframe beginning January 2008 Each county has identified 2-5 local focus issues to work on collaboratively

Why narrow the range of priorities? Many needs, fewer resources Concentrating resources on priority issues will allow for greater impact Seeking areas that will benefit from collaborative efforts

Local process Data collection Community telephone survey Focus areas from plans and planning staff Community meetings Agency provider meetings Plan development Approval by Commission on Children & Families and Board of County Commissioners

2007 Telephone Survey Results: What did the community think? Children’s Health and Welfare – 90% considered 4 issues “very important” Abused children (97%) Hungry children (94%) Health care (91%) Children in poverty (90%)

2007 Survey Results: What did the community think? Children’s Education Children being ready for kindergarten – 56% rated “very important” High school dropping out – 84% “very important”

2007 Survey Results: What did the community think? Social issues – 90% rates “very important” School violence Teenage drug use Juvenile crime

What Does the Data Tell Us? Mental Health Services for Children Number of Homeless Oregonians per 10,000 on Any Given Night

What Does the Data Tell Us? Substance Abuse Prevention Services Percent Reporting Use of Tobacco During Pregnancy

What Does the Data Tell Us? Substance Abuse Treatment Percent of 11th Grade Students Reporting Binge Drinking in Past 30 Days

What Does the Data Tell Us? Early Childhood Rate of Unduplicated Victims of Child Abuse per 10,000 Children (17 and Younger)

What Does the Data Tell Us? High Risk Juvenile Crime Prevention and Young Offenders Juvenile Arrests for Serious Drug Crimes per 10,000 Juveniles (Age 10-17)

What Does the Data Tell Us? Public Health Percent of Babies Whose Mothers Received Prenatal Care Beginning in the First Trimester

Today’s Mock Planning Process What do you think is important?

Results From Community Meetings

Top Three Priorities for Lane County: Reduce Child Maltreatment by Increasing Home Visiting Increase Quality Child Care for Infants and Toddlers Transitional services for young adults ages with psychiatric impairments

Sample of 2009 Highlights Collaborative Efforts: Increased quality infant/toddler child care around Lane County: 95 full-time slots since January 2008 Helped increase the number of FREE summer lunches by 10% to 140,273 meals for children & youth ages 2-18, and supported a new parent pilot program Created new Peer-to-Peer mentoring program for youth with mental health issues: now serving 20 youth Child care in the Courthouse (downtown Eugene) provided a safe place for 330+ children three mornings a week since February 2008

Questions? Serafina Clarke Diana Avery