1. EARLY CHILDHOOD SUPPORTS AND SERVICES Tom Washington, Ph.D. Behavioral Healthcare Director Office of Mental Health Department of Health & Hospitals December 7, 2004

2. EARLY CHILDHOOD SUPPORTS AND SERVICES Designed to provide services and supports to young children ages 0-5 and their families who are at risk of developing cognitive, behavioral and relationship difficulties.

3. SIX PARISHES 2002-2004 ST. TAMMANY PARISH DESOTO PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LAFAYETTE PARISH OUACHITA PARISH TERREBONNE PARISH St. Mary Parish expansion in 2004 - 2005

4. THREE NEW SITES IN 2004-2005 DELTA PARISHES East Carroll MadisonRichland West Carroll ACADIANA PARISHES Iberia St. Martin ORLEANS PARISH

5. Three Components of ECSS ECSS Staffing Emergency Funds Infant Mental Health Program

7. Multidisciplinary, Multi-agency Collaboration Project Stakeholders include over 400 agencies, not-for-profits, faith-based organizations and other groups committed to the wellbeing of young children and their families.

8. ECSS STAFFING Network members refer to ECSS based on risk of child and family Staffing is scheduled with family and Core Team Core Team meets 2x/month to determine needs of family and to develop comprehensive plan of care

9. ECSS Goals –Risk Assessments for 2004 – 2005 = 1876 –Multi-agency Service Plans = 641 –Infant Mental Health Referrals =320

10. TANF Temporary Assistance to Needy Families TANF Goals -Children live with parents or relatives -Promote job preparation, work, marriage -Reduce out of wedlock pregnancy -Promote formation and maintenance of two-parent families

11. TANF EMERGENCY FUNDS Funds for non-recurrent, short- term intervention Examples –Child Care –Housing –School Supplies –Utilities –Transportation –Clothes, Food, Furniture, etc.

12. TANF EMERGENCY FUNDS

13. INFANT MENTAL HEALTH IMH TEAM –Child Psychiatrist –Psychologist –Clinicians –Case Managers Children ages 0 through 5 and caretakers Behavioral difficulties, tantrums, aggression, PTSD, enuresis, encopresis, sleeping, feeding difficulties

14. Child Risk Factors

15. Parent Risk Factors

16. Family Risk Factors

17. Perceived Employment Barriers

18. Summary Agencies are successfully collaborating with each other to enhance the system of care resulting in families receiving services important to their increasing independence with corresponding less dependence on welfare. The preliminary information is indicating positive results in the crucial area of parenting for the participating families. Intervening with families in the early stages of parenting is likely to result in positive long-term outcomes.

19. Credits The Early Childhood Supports and Services program and its expansion would not have been possible without the commitment to the wellbeing of children and their families of: - The Children’s Cabinet - Elected Officials of the State of Louisiana - Department of Social Services - Division of Administration - Department of Health & Hospitals - Over 400 Individuals, Agencies and Organizations who comprise the local ECSS Networks