Greetings and Happy Fall! |
Here are the highlights in the report.
• 140 families that participated in family support services who
increased their knowledge about child development;
• 647 child care providers participated in professional
development and quality improvement activities that helped
grow their child care business;
• 92 child received preschool tuition scholarships which
preparedthem for school;
• 258 children received dental screenings which assist with
healthy development;
• 732 techical assistance contacts were provided to child care providers by child care nurse consultants;
• 4 R Kids ECI recieved a 4 year designation status.
Debra Schrader
4 R Kids Executive Director
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The Iowa 4 R Kids Early Childhood Area Board is seeking applicants who want to help children age 0-5 grow, learn and prepare for Kindergarten. With the state financial resources, our twelve member board awards Early Childhood grants to ensure young children will be healthy and successful.
Board membership is available to anyone who work or live in Adair, Dallas, Madison, or Warren County, and do not directly or indirectly receive funds from the Board. For more information download the 4 R Kids Board membersip application or contact the ECI Director, Debra Schrader.
Say Thank You to 4 R Kids Board Members
They donate their time to make a difference in lives of families with children under the age of 6. Give a shout out to the following board members the next time you see them!
Deb Blazek- Adair County
Tammy Walk - Adair County
Brittany Shinn - Adair County
Lois Hoger - Dallas County
Kevin Howe - Dallas County
Janice Jensen - Madison County
Rita Martens - Madison County
Paul Millhollin - Madison County
Justin Terry - Warren County
Khristen Kaufman - Warren County
Nikki Gunn - Warren County
Nancy Hopkins - Warren County
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The U.S. Census data has been released and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has put together user friendly documents that provides the change in population. From 2010 to 2020 the United States gained 7.4% in population while Iowa only gained 4.7%
The 4 R Kids ECI area which consists of Adair, Dallas, Madison and Warren County saw an average of a 29% increase in population from 2020 to 2020. Population by county varied, Adair lost 2.4%, Dallas gained 50.7%, Madison gained 5.5%, and Warren gained 13.4%. As you can see, 3 of the 4 counties outpaced the Iowa gain of 4.7% and two counties outpaced the U.S. gain.
As many of you know, Dallas County is a fast growing area. Dallas County is the fastest growing county in Iowa. Dallas County is the 4th fastest growing County in the nation. Dallas County’s population grew to 99,672 in 2020 from 66,133 a decade earlier, a 50.7% increase. The only counties in the country that grew faster were McKenzie (131%) and Williams (83%) counties at the epicenter of North Dakota's oil boom; and Hays County, Texas (53%), an Austin suburb.
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Alcohol consumption during pregnancy has long been linked to congenital defects and developmental problems in newborns. Now a new study has found a link between a baby's congenital heart defects and their prospective parents' drinking before conception. Compared to non-drinkers, fathers who drank during the 3 months before conception were 44% more likely to have babies born with congenital heart disease. If the prospective dads were binge drinkers, which was defined as downing five or more drinks per session, there was a 52% higher likelihood their baby would have a congenital heart defect. For mothers who drank or binge-drank before conception, there was a 16% higher risk for their babies, compared to not drinking.
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Costs associated with the child care shortage translate to individual losses for families, businesses, and taxpayers each year
• Iowa Working Parents lose, on average, $3,350 in annual earnings, reduced productivity, and job seeking capacity.
• Iowa Businesses lose, on average, $1,150 per working parent each year in diminished revenue and additional recruitment costs.
• Iowa Taxpayers lose, on average, $630 per working parent in annual lost income tax and sales tax.
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COVID-19 Resources
To get the most recent information about COVID-19 in Iowa go to the COVID-19 in Iowa website.
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Did You Know?
On any given day, 29% of babies under the age of 1 are watching TV and videos for an average of about 90 minutes. 23% percent have a television in their bedroom.
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Finding Data
Ever struggle with finding reliable and
Iowa is your source for population, housing, business and government statistics about Iowa, including data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Iowa
state agencies, and other state and federal sources.
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Just the Right
Temperature for Baby
Cribs for Kids® recommends that a baby’s room is kept between 68 and 72 degrees. Overheating may increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in babies up to one year of age. Avoid overdressing a baby when placing them down for the night. Always look for signs of overheating such as flushed cheeks, unusually restless sleep, or a sweaty head
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Low income heat assistance is available starting October 1, 2021. For example, a family of 4 can make up to $53,000 and still quality. Contact a Community Action Agency
to learn more.
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Teal Pumpkins
for Halloween
Putting a teal pumpkin on your doorstep means you have non-food treats available, such as glow sticks or small toys. This simple act promotes inclusion for trick-or-treaters with food allergies or other conditions.
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Medicare and Medicaid
Understanding the differences between Medicare, Medicaid, and a Dual Special Needs Plan can seem confusing at first. Here are some easy definitions to help sort out these terms.
Medicare: A federal health benefits program for those over the age of 65, or those younger who qualify due to a disability.
Medicaid: A state health benefits program for those with low income who qualify.
Dual Special Needs Plan: A type of health plan that provides health benefits for people who are "dually eligible," meaning they qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare. These plans offer more health benefits, usually at no additional cost.
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Google Folders
Due to the pandemic most if not all meetings are held electronically. Google folders have been implemented for anyone to drop documents into. Feel free to view or drop information into the respective folders.Folders are organized by fiscal years and months.
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4 R Kids ECI Board Meetings
November 18, 2021
December 16, 2021
February 17, 2022
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