Tanya Dawson joins GOECD as an Executive Assistant. She began her career as an Administrative Assistant while a student at the University of Michigan. Eventually she gravitated to other industries outside of academia such as healthcare and legal reform but still maintained her stance as a career Executive Administrator. She also participated in various programs with community strongholds to strengthen healthcare reform for women and children particularly expecting mothers. Tanya is an active volunteer throughout the year and values the principles surrounding the ability to serve.

She strongly believes in being both the Executive and Assistant in every role she encounters. Her professionalism is consistent with someone who wants the best outcome for everyone. Tanya is eager to collaborate with trailblazers who strive to make a difference in the lives of young children. Tanya has a young daughter who empowers her to be the best version of herself. The opportunity to promote quality educational initiatives for the young minds who will eventually shape the future is an opportunity Tanya does not take for granted.

Tanya has spearheaded programs in the past that provided valuable resources to young mothers and children and supported programs that enabled young mothers to confidently and successfully parent their children.  Tanya received her Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Anthropology from the University of Michigan and MBA from the University of Phoenix with a concentration in Project Management.

Tanya is excited to partner with the GOECD team. She is committed to growing and developing as an enthusiastic contributor and strive to support those responsible for establishing stronger initiatives for the beautiful, resilient children of Illinois.

We are happy to announce that registration is now open for the Annual Symposium for Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants (formerly known as The Retreat)

May 10 - May 12, 2022. This year we've made significant changes to our offerings, and we're excited to bring you a variety of engaging presenters to share their expertise. Topics include include Trauma, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Self-Care, all as we reconnect post pandemic.

Registration for the Symposium is FREE and open to all I/ECMH Consultants and supervisors of Consultants.

The Symposium offers a range of topics and activities for you to deepen your understanding, sharpen your skills, network with fellow Mental Health Consultants, and focus on caring for yourself as you care for the people around you. We will offer CEUs to participants at no cost. Take a look at the sessions we are offering and get your registration completed as soon as possible to reserve your place!

Please register by May 8, 2022.

Contact Libby Mitchell at lmitchell@inccrra.org for questions.

The event will feature remarks by ICMHP Interim Chair, Dr. Sameer Vohra, ICMHP Director, Amanda M. Walsh, and Dr. Dana Weiner, the newly announced Director of the Governor's Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative, as well as other state leaders.

For more information please send an email to icmhp@luriechildrens.org.

The Early Learning Council, a public-private partnership created by Public Act 93-380, strengthens, coordinates and expands programs and services for children ages birth to five, throughout Illinois. With a membership including senior state officials and non-government stakeholders appointed by the Governor, the Early Learning Council builds on current programs to ensure a comprehensive, statewide early learning system (preschool, Child Care, Head Start, health care and support programs for parents) to improve the lives of Illinois children and families.

The next meeting will take place May 23, 2022.

Two years into the pandemic, child care facilities across the country continue to experience ongoing hiring and staffing pressures due to chronically low compensation for the workforce. While there is slight regional variation, ECEC providers compete with one another, with the K-12 system, and more so since the pandemic – with retail, food, and clerical as companies have increased pay floors for entry-level employees to recruit talent in a tight labor market.

In response, the Early Childhood Transformation Team (ECTT) created a Working Group to 1) research the current labor market challenges and to 2) propose a model salary scale. After months of research and working group meetings, the ECTT completed 8 stakeholder engagement meetings with providers/staff across the State.

Overwhelmingly, providers validated national trends and our own research by expressing concern and experience with losing staff and struggling to recruit new employees due to the tough competition and tight labor market as almost all are able to offer more in starting pay and benefits.

ECTT recognizes the importance of compensation and continues this work to develop concrete strategies for long term policies to address the crisis now and into the future.

Enrollment for Chicago Early Learning for every 3–4 year-old in Chicago is open. The deadline to apply is May 10, 2022.

If you have questions or are in need of assistance when completing the application, call 312-229-1690 for assistance with applications for both CPS schools and Community-Based Preschools. You can also visit any of the Family Resource Centers by appointment only located around the city, or visit a Community Early Learning Provider if you are interested in a site.

The Growing Futures Conference will take place in person October 13-15, 2022, in Springfield, IL. Early bird registration continues through April 30, 2022.

The Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Head Start released a new information memorandum that utilizes existing flexibilities in the Head Start Act to allow programs to count SNAP enrollment as eligibility for Head Start and Early Head Start. Previously, the public assistance provision of the Act only applied to TANF and SSI. You can read a letter from Dr. Bernadine Futrell, Director of the Office of Head Start, here: Expanding Head Start Services to SNAP Recipients | ECLKC (hhs.gov). The National Head Start Association released a statement about this change here. (NHSA's statement).

An updated eligibility verification form that includes SNAP as an option of categorical eligibility can be found here: Head Start Eligibility Verification Form | ECLKC (hhs.gov)

Birth to Five Illinois is accepting additional applications for the regions for which there is a job posting. Please apply to the position that lists your region number. Applicants must live within the region for which they apply. If you are unsure in which region you reside, please click here.

For those who live in the City of Chicago, please see the Regional Manager-Action Council: City of Chicago job description.  

Please be advised that it will be necessary for you or your organization to purchase a copy of the DC: 0-5 Diagnostic Classification for Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood Version 2.0. To purchase from Zero to Three directly go to: Store - New Releases and Bestsellers.

May is Mental Health Month, and Mental Health America has created an outreach toolkit in English and Spanish. This toolkit provides free, practical resources to introduce mental health topics such as recognizing warning signs, knowing the factors that can lead to mental health conditions, maintaining mental wellness, and seeking support for mental health. There are media materials, fact sheets, social media web banners, and posters. There are outreach suggestions for individuals, students, businesses, and organizations. Download the toolkit in the preferred language below.

This new report from Fight Crime: Invest in Kids zeroes-in on the ways that meeting the birth to five needs of rural Illinois could help address a host of other challenges, such as curbing crime and violence. "Strong investments in young children’s learning and development can improve upon countless other aspects of a community’s well-being, too—including public safety,” according to Macomb Police Chief Jerel Jones.

The new website, COVID.gov, asks visitors to enter their county and then provides nearby locations for masks and respirators, vaccines and boosters, as well as testing and treatment options. The site also identifies clinics and pharmacies with a test-to-treat option, where one can get tested and, if positive, immediately receive anti-viral pills.