rocky mountain early childhood council 2017-2020 strategic ......the rural resort region.” in...

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL

ROCKY MOUNTAIN EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL 2017-2020 STRATEGIC PLAN

INITIALLY ADOPTED: 1-26-17

REVISED: 7-31-19

The Rural Resort Region Early Childhood Council (RRRECC-WD) was originally formed by the County

Commissioners of Eagle, Garfield, Lake, Pitkin, and Summit counties out of common growth-related issues

such as education, child care, affordable housing, and health care. In 1998, we applied to the Colorado

Department of Education to become a Consolidated Child Care Pilot. The organization was founded to

“promote and support a system of quality, accessibility, and affordability of early childhood for families in

the Rural Resort Region.” In 2006, after many discussions, Summit and Grand counties decided to form their

own council due to demographics and common interests which changed our council composition to a 4

county region. In 2014, the Council adopted a new name—the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council.

Council members chose a name they felt better represented our 4 county region and also gave us our own

identity separate from other “resort region” councils. Presently, Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council

(RMECC) continues to fulfill its purpose through initiatives that reform and strengthen the early care and

education system so all children and families can benefit from high quality early childhood experiences.

History of the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council

Notes:

While many activities could fall under more than one domain, for the purposes of this document

activities under the primary domain.

If activities are “ongoing”, the completion date will be greyed out.

Learning & Development

OUTCOMES, GOALS & ACTIVITIES

ECC FRAMEWORK OUTCOME:

ACCESS

Domain: LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

GOAL 1: Learning experiences and environments are high quality, developmentally appropriate and affordable.

Activity: Time

Period:

Deliverable: Measurement: Date

Complete: Assess current gaps and

support

Ongoing Conduct an annual needs assessment to

identify current gaps and support needs

(health care, mental health, etc)

Completed needs

assessment, analysis and

recommendations

Advocate and support

affordable, quality

childcare

Ongoing Partner with agencies, DHS and

programs to increase CPP and CCAP

slots throughout the region.

Increase in number of

CPP or CCAP slots

Support programs in

their pursuit of high

quality.

By 6/30/20

50% of childcare programs will have a

rating of Level 2 or higher in Colorado

Shines.

Reports verified 50% on

6/30/18

6/30/18


rating of level 2 or higher in Colorado

Shines

Provider Statistics 2/28/19


rating of Level 2 or higher in Colorado

Shines

Provider Statistics

Ongoing Provide technical support and coaching

to programs

Coaching records,

webinars

By

12/31/20

Obtain funding to support development

of Health Consultants for the region

Evaluate and possibly utilize the Pitkin

model for the region

Funding Obtained

Or move to monitor on

an ongoing basis

Develop strategies to

support and retain a

well-qualified and

appropriately

compensated early

educator workforce.

By

11/30/19

Convene an action team, led by the

coordinator, to develop strategies

Utilize strategies to design a project for

the next round of the Early Milestones

grant.

Review the finished grant narrative and

provide feedback for the EM grant.

This goal and work will

support efforts to develop

and Early Milestones

grant application in 2020.



ACCESS


GOAL 2: Education, coaching and ongoing training exist for caregivers, teachers and other professionals.

Activity: Time

Period:


Complete: Collaborate with

stakeholder programs,

disseminate information

and support targeted

strategies to meet state

required training and staff

developmental

opportunities

Ongoing Promote and disseminate available

trainings through the website and other

communication platforms to providers

through multiple avenues including:

Colorado Mountain College

Online classes

Local trainings

PDIS trainings

Documentation of

trainings provided:

training calendar,

emails and newsletters

Support recruitment and

high quality training for

pre-licensing and newly

licensed child care

providers.

Ongoing

Any new providers provided connected

with pre-licensing training

Licensing specialists

offer this training on an

ongoing basis

6/30/19

Disseminate information to

support programs as they

develop and implement

their emergency plan as

outlined in the state plan.

Ongoing Resource documents added on the

website for providers.

Meet with licensing at least twice each

year to see if there are other ways to

support this effort, list of organizations by

county that need program plans on file.

Information is listed on

the website



QUALITY


GOAL 3: Formal and informal care environments and education practices reach highest levels of quality.

Activity: Time

Period:


Complete: Market trainings, resources

and information available

to FFN providers

throughout the region

Ongoing Collaborate with local, regional and

state level efforts to expand impact

Documentation of

communication and

meetings held

By 6/30/20 Add trainings to the training calendar

Market information using multiple

modalities

Promote professional pathways

Utilize stakeholders to help disseminate

information

Training calendar

Newsletters, emails

other communication

Ongoing

Identify current trainings in

development at the local, regional and

state level.

List of trainings at local,

regional and state

level.

Health & Well Being



EQUITY

Domain: HEALTH & WELL BEING

GOAL 4: Children with special health, behavioral, and developmental needs receive individual services and supports

Activity: Time

Period:


Complete: Promote awareness of

and access to specialized

supports for young

children and their families.

Ongoing Promote developmental screenings to

childcare programs regionally.

Share information about IDEA

requirements

Emails, newsletters,

Website

Offer a training for

providers: Supporting

Children with Special

Needs

Ongoing At least one training/class is offered

each year that focuses on children with

special needs

Documentation of

trainings/classes offered



QUALITY


GOAL 5: Settings and practices promote strong relationships, social-emotional development, nutrition, and physical activity, as

well as oral, vision, dental and hearing health.

Activity: Time Period: Deliverable: Measurement: Date

Complete: Promote and share resources

about dental, vision, hearing,

and developmental health

screenings

Ongoing Share resources throughout the

region

List of resources,

updated

information on

website

Seek funding to implement

Child Care Health consulting

regionally

Ongoing

Seek funding to implement

health consulting regionally using

the Pitkin County model

As of 6-28-19, no

funding available Will

monitor on an

ongoing basis

Distribute information to

providers and families about

health and well-being trainings

Ongoing Information distributed

throughout the region via the

website Training Calendar

Emails, information

on website

updated.

Distribute information about

Certified Playground Safety

Inspectors and how and why

programs should receive a

CPSI.

Ongoing Information distributed


Documentation of

information shared

Explore the need and support

the development of new

childcare health consultants

to increase overall capacity.

Ongoing Collaborate with Healthy

Childcare Colorado regarding

current CC Health Consultants,

Connect programs to resources

Connect new consultants to

agencies or other resources.

Documentation of

efforts.

Support building the overall

system to increase access for

certified playground

inspectors.

Ongoing Identify possible inspectors

Connect programs interested in

CPI with CPIs

Documentation of

efforts.



ACCESS


GOAL 6: All settings promote mental health and well-being through early identification, consultation and treatment.


Complete: Disseminate and support

training opportunities for social

and emotional trainings

Ongoing A minimum of 3 hours of Social

Emotional Trainings available

annually to caregivers on

behavior management and

social emotional development


Trainings listed on the

Training calendar

Children with special health,

behavioral or developmental

needs receive individualized

services and supports

Ongoing The Council supports

developmental and social

emotional screenings

Partner with organizations and

stakeholders to help connect

children and families with

resources and services

Screenings available in

4 county area.

Documentation of

meetings with

stakeholders and

organizations that

provide services and

supports.

Challenging behavior supports

provided to programs

participating in Colorado

Shines coaching services

Ongoing On site supports provided for

programs and teachers to

support best practice.

Coaching logs

Trainings provided annually

using evidenced based

practices

Ongoing Trainings provided annually

including Dinosaur School,

Teacher Classroom

Management and Pyramid

Plus

Documentation of

trainings



EQUITY


GOAL 7: Children with special health, behavioral or developmental needs receive individualized services and supports

Activity: Time

Period:


Complete: The Council supports

developmental and social

emotional screenings

Ongoing Screenings available in 4

county area.

Documentation of

screenings in each county

Partner with organizations and

stakeholders to help connect

children and families with

resources and services

Ongoing Meetings occur with

stakeholders and

organizations that provide

services and supports.

Documentation of meetings

with stakeholders and

organizations that provide

services and supports.



QUALITY


GOAL 8: All health care providers including mental health deliver coordinated, family focused care


Complete: Collaborate with health providers

to provide developmental

screenings for children using the

ASQ at well child checks

Ongoing At least one health provider in

each county will provide

screenings

Documentation that

screenings are

occurring

Family Support & Education



ACCESS

Domain: FAMILY SUPPORT & EDUCATION

GOAL 9: Services and supports promote well-being and resiliency of parents and caregivers.

Activity: Time

Period:


Complete:

Connect families and

caregivers to services

Ongoing On an ongoing basis, promote and

distribute information about available

parenting classes, programs and services

throughout the region.

Use multiple modes of communication

Funds secured for increased

developmental and social emotional

screenings, informed follow up and referral

services

Newsletters

distributed,

information updated

on the website, emails

sent to Council

members, agencies

and programs.

Ongoing

Identify current Family Engagement

Initiatives in the 4 county region,

opportunities to collaborate and funding

possibilities.

Develop a list of current initiatives in the

region, Council participating in

collaborative efforts.

Website links as

appropriate

Updated list available

with current initiatives

Develop an Early

Childhood Mental health

Consultation (ECMHC)

plan.

By 6/30/20

Hold ECMH Toolkit meetings

Implement and analyze a needs

assessment

Research evidence based programs

Develop an action team to support this

work

Finalized Plan

adopted



QUALITY


GOAL 10: Family knowledge and capacity support children’s healthy development and learning

Activity: Time

Period:


Complete: Share information about

VROOM, ELDGs and other

tools

Ongoing Add information to the website and have

printed materials available that programs

can give to families

Website link in place,

materials sent out to

programs and families

per request.



ACCESS


GOAL 11: Family engagement and leadership opportunities exist within programs, schools and communities

Activity: Time

Period:


Complete: Trainings specific to family

leadership opportunities

are available in the

region

Ongoing Trainings listed on the training calendar

specific to family leadership trainings

Trainings listed on the

calendar specific to

family leadership.

Distribute resources to

programs that can be

shared with families

Ongoing Resources included on the Resource Map

Printed resources available for families

Resources listed on

the Resource Map

Printed resources

available upon

request



ACCESS


GOAL 12: Family friendly policies and practices exist in the workplace.

Activity: Time

Period:


Complete: Coaches help programs

develop family friendly

policies as part of

Colorado Shines efforts

Ongoing Family friendly policies developed as part

of Colorado Shines efforts

Programs earn points

for having family

friendly policies in

place.

Cross Domain


OUTCOME:

SYSTEMS BUILDING

Domain: CROSS DOMAIN

GOAL 13: Maintain a system of data and collaboration with key partners that streamlines and strengthens the work of the

resource and referral.


Complete: Continuously collect data and

resource information and

maintain an open channel of

communication with the call

center.

Ongoing Develop data collection tools and

collaborate with the call center,

providers and stakeholders to

identify data to collect.

Utilize connections with community

agencies

Data tools

developed

Assist in developing and

integrating a coordinated system

for linking homeless children and

families to resources.

Ongoing Identify and collaborate with local

and state resources

Provide links to available resources

at the local and regional level

Development of

county and

regional listing of

resources,

newsletters, emails

Maintain accurate and thorough

provider data.

Ongoing Complete provider updates at least

once per year for all licensed

providers

Salesforce

Maintain partnership with

Departments of Human Services

in each county to facilitate

placement of children in child

care and meet the needs of

families.

Ongoing Continue to collaborate with DHS

partners to increase CCAP & CPP

slots throughout the region.

Provider Statistics.

Implement Marketing and

Communications Plan for the

Council

By Nov 2019 Marketing and Communications

plan developed

Marketing and

Communications

plans adopted

rocky mountain early childhood council 2017-2020 strategic ......the rural resort region.” in...

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