View as Webpage

Inside this Issue

• ICS Goes to Washington: Innovative Tools for Evidenced-based Early Childhood Investments
• Final Call for Proposals for NDM Conference
• Noteworthy: Sixth Org Joins School Safety Coalition
• What We've Been Up To: Hello Family Hosts Luncheon Celebration, Appearing at Help Me Grow National Forum, and DePaoli Introduces the Early Childhood Common Agenda & More
• Upcoming Events: National Black Child Development Institute 2022 Conference, SCAEYC's Annual Conference, and Together for Families Conference 

ICS Goes to Washington to Brief Legislative Staff on Innovative Tools for Evidenced-based Early Childhood Investments

Together with Results for America, Sorenson Impact Center, and EC PRISM_®, we briefed congressional staff members regarding how "Innovative Tools for Evidenced-based Early Childhood Investments" could be leveraged to integrate evidence-based practices into federal legislation and addressed approaches that are working in communities. The panel briefing took place at on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. A special thanks goes out to Rep. Abigail Spanberger (Virginia, District 7) for sponsoring our session. 

Ben McAdams (former Salt Lake County mayor and Utah Congressman, now with the Sorenson Impact Center) discussed a novel concept—how governments can use the assets they own (real estate, such as a parking lot) as leverage to fund early childhood initiatives and reinvest it back in the community.

ICS’s Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Bryan Boroughs highlighted Hello Family, an innovative Pay for Success (PFS) program in Spartanburg, SC, and how it’s already proving its worth—saving the federal government money and reducing hospital ER visits for birth moms.

Ellen Hur VP of Results for America referenced their Economic Mobility Catalog, highlighting over 40 early childhood interventions, strong evidence-based case studies, materials, and tools used to ensure that investments are working for whom it's intended.

Final Call for Proposals for the 2023 

Nurturing Developing Minds Conference

The call for proposals for the 2023 Desmond P. Kelly, MD Nurturing Developing Minds Conference & Research and Implementation Symposium is open until September 30, 2022. We are in search of sessions and/or posters to present at our early childhood conference next year, in Greenville, South Carolina at the Greenville ONE Center (we intend to provide both in-person and hybrid virtual learning opportunities).

We encourage broad consideration of our theme, "Restoration, Resilience & Rebuilding." Following are the concepts to guide you in developing your submittal:

• Early childhood programs
• Promoting healthy child development
• Autism and developmental disabilities
• Special healthcare needs/chronic illness management

Top 3 Reasons to Book the Conference:

1. A cross-sector of professionals (researchers, medical practitioners, educators, and policymakers) will be represented. 

2. Strong support for early career professionals and professionals outside of academia.

3. Accepted session presenters receive free registration for the full event.

#2023NDM

Noteworthy

Sixth Organization Joins

School Safety Coalition

The Safe Schools Project, based in Charleston, has joined the SC Coalition for Safer Schools. Membership currently stands at six associations focused on the well-being of children.

SC Biz News article about welcome addition

Excerpt: In joining the Coalition, the Safe Schools Project will work to advance the Coalition’s School Safety Agenda alongside the Palmetto State Teachers Association, South Carolina Association of School Psychologists, the South Carolina Counseling Association, the South Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Institute for Child Success.

What We've Been Up To

photos courtesy of Greenville First Steps

 Hello Family Spartanburg Hosts Luncheon Celebration

What began years ago as a vision of the City of Spartanburg and the Mary Black Foundation that every child in Spartanburg arrive at school healthy, thriving and ready to learn is a dream coming to reality. That vision is better known as Hello Family Spartanburg (established in January 2022) and is certainly cause for celebration.

The Hello Family Spartanburg early childhood initiative is expected to improve outcomes for young children and their families by providing a continuum of evidence-based services for all children born in the City of Spartanburg, from prenatal care through age five. Services include BirthMatters (prenatal care for low-income mothers), Family Connects (nurse visits to first time mothers), and Triple P (community-wide parent education). With multiple founders and stakeholders on board, the city of Spartanburg offers a support system that can reach every new family member and is customized to their family's needs.

Find out more about Hello Family Spartanburg

Presenting at the Annual Help Me Grow National Virtual Forum 

Several members of the ICS team presented at the four-day, virtual Annual Help Me Grow National Forum on September 20. Dr. Aimée Drouin Duncan, Mary C. Garvey, and Katie Hammond presented on equity in early childhood measurement. The title of the session was Using the IMPACT Measures Tool® to Promote Equity in Data Collection & Analysis.

The conference is an opportunity for Help Me Grow affiliates and partners to network, learn from one another, and create new partnerships.

Policy Director DePaoli Makes the Rounds in South Carolina 

Five leading organizations–the Children’s Trust of South Carolina, the Institute for Child Success, Save the Children Action Network, SC Infant Mental Health Association, and the United Way Association of South Carolina–along with dozens of statewide partners have committed their support of young children (ages 0 through 5) and their families by advocating for the SC Early Childhood Common Agenda. 

ICS's Deborah DePaoli presented Advocacy and the SC Early Childhood Common Agenda before the Lowcountry Directors' Forum at Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC on September 6. She again delivered her Advocacy and the SC Early Childhood Common Agenda presentation to EdVenture Connects in Columbia, SC on September 8.

More of Deborah DePaoli's Advocacy Speaking Engagements

• Deborah was invited to Advocacy and Storytelling Training for Parents as Teachers by South Carolina Cooperative Health in Columbia on September 21. She delivered "Advocacy: Your Story, Your Voice!"

• Deborah presented "Creating Ideal Environments for Student Learning" before the SC Family and Community Engagement Summit. The virtual conference was held September 22-23 by the State Department of Education Family and Community Engagement. 

• Deborah addressed "Advocacy: Your Story, Your Voice!" during Community Voices/Voces Comunitarias. Voces Comunitarias is a bilingual, free event and opportunity for the Latinx community to meet and build a network of neighborhood allies. The session was convened by SC PASOs (steps) on September 24 in Walhalla.

Deborah DePaoli (l) is pictured above with Lorilei Swanson (c), Carolina Family Engagement Centers, and Sarai Melendez (r), Council Member for the City of Walhalla, SC.

Upcoming Events

National Black Child Development Institute 2022 Conference

The National Black Child Development Institute Conference will take place October 7-9, 2022, in Washington DC. The theme is “Creating an Equitable and JUST Future for Black Children and Families.” Learn action-oriented solutions that will move us closer to ensuring that Black children have equitable opportunities for healthy development, nurturing learning experiences, and life success.

You can see Mary C. Garvey, Chief Equity Office of ICS presenting the session, "A Sympathetic Touch: Tackling Exclusionary Discipline and Promoting Flourish."

South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children Hosting Annual Conference

The 2022 SCAEYC Annual Conference will be October 14-15 at Midlands Technical College–Airport Campus in West Columbia, SC.

ICS's Senior Fellow Dee Stegelin, PhD will be presenting "Building Intergenerational Relationships" on the 14^th. 

Together for Families Conference in October

The biennial Together for Families Conference will take place virtually from October 19-21, 2022. VP Impact and Practice at EC PRISM, Dr. Aimée Drouin Duncan will lead the presentation, "Measuring What Matters: Equity Considerations in Assessment."

The conference connects various stakeholders from across the U.S. and Canada in the Family Support and Strengthening field to focus on best and promising practices for supporting families’ advancement. It is designed for practitioners at the program, systems, and funder levels.

Connect with us!

Know someone who would enjoy this content?

Feel free to forward this email and share it with your network.