New Report Examines Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health in Ohio
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is widespread agreement that Ohio’s school age children and adolescents are experiencing a mental health crisis. Last month, a coalition of pediatric health experts declared the children’s mental health crisis “a national emergency.”
However, as a new report from Groundwork Ohio’s Center for Maternal and Young Child Health illustrates, babies, toddlers, and preschool age children also have mental health needs that are often overlooked and unmet. The report identifies opportunities for Ohio to promote infant and early childhood mental health, prevent trauma, and treat mental health problems before they become more serious problems later in life.
The Center for Maternal and Young Child Health also hosted a webinar on Ohio's infant and early childhood mental health landscape. During the webinar, local, state, and national experts discussed the importance of focusing on early prevention and treatment to better meet the mental health needs of our youngest children and their caregivers.
Partner with the Center for Maternal and Young Child Health
Last month, Groundwork Ohio officially launched its new Center for Maternal and Young Child Health. The mission of the Center is to prepare Ohio for a better future by building and transforming systems that improve maternal and young child health, promote health equity, and prioritize prevention through policy development, research, and collaboration so that all Ohio mothers and young children thrive.
Groundwork Ohio is seeking partners to join the work of the Center for Maternal and Young Child Health. Please complete this survey if you are interested in partnering with the Center.
Guest Blog Spotlight: Rosemary's Babies Co. Supporting Teen Parents and Families
This month, Ready, Set, Soar Ohio is excited to spotlight a guest blog by Rosemary D. Oglesby-Henry, CEO and Founder of Rosemary’s Babies Co., on the importance of supporting teen parents so that they and their babies can thrive.
Rosemary’s Babies Co. opened their doors in 2016 prepared to address the long-term and short-term barriers of teen parents in Greater Cincinnati. Their goal was to create a network of support for teen parents and a plan that would change the trajectory for their entire family, three generations: teen parents, children, and grandparents. To date, Rosemary’s Babies Co. has successfully helped more than 1,200 teen parents!
Read the blog to learn more about how Rosemary's Babies Co. is working to help teen parents and their babies thrive and prosper.
Ohio Legislators Hear Testimony on Bill to Establish Study Commission on ACEs
Last month, the Behavioral Health and Recovery Supports Committee in the Ohio House of Representatives heard proponent testimony on House Bill 428, which would create a study commission on Adverse Childhood Experiences, commonly referred to as ACEs. Groundwork Ohio, utilizing data featured in Ready, Set, Soar Ohio's The State of Babies in Ohio factsheet, provided proponent testimony on the legislation.
During the earliest and most critical years of development, children are highly vulnerable to adversity and trauma. ACEs are traumatic events that have the potential to cause long-lasting negative effects on mental health, physical health, and health behaviors. Ohio ranks 39th in the nation for children having two or more ACEs, putting Ohio children at higher risk for long-lasting negative effects.
Job Opportunity: Healthy Baby Court Community Coordinator
The Lucas County Juvenile Court is seeking applicants for a Healthy Baby Court Community Coordinator. The Healthy Baby Court Community Coordinator will work in collaboration with judicial and child welfare leadership, community partners, and stakeholders to plan, implement, market, manage, and evaluate Lucas County Juvenile Court’s Healthy Baby Court program.
In an effort to effect community and systems change, the Healthy Baby Court Community Coordinator will facilitate coordination and collaboration among community stakeholders, organize and facilitate Family Team Meetings, provide community-wide and Healthy Baby Court specific educational opportunities, track monthly follow-up activities for each case monitored by Healthy Baby Court, conduct on-going data collection for outcome tracking, and champion the voice of infants, toddlers and their families within the child welfare and court’s jurisdictional purview.
Interested in learning more about this opportunity or want to share this posting with your networks? Click here to learn more!
Help Ensure Ohio Families Get Signed Up to Receive the Child Tax Credit
Help us ensure Ohio families and children get signed up to receive the Child Tax Credit before the November 15th non-filer portal deadline!
With the deadline for non-filer sign-up through the GetCTC.org/CTCOH simplified tool quickly approaching, community organizations throughout Ohio are working urgently to assist families in accessing advanced monthly payments to support their children to thrive. Most Ohio families qualify for the expanded Child Tax Credit. Qualifying families will receive $3,600 total for each child under 6 and $3,000 total for each child 6-17 years of age.
If an eligible family filed taxes in 2020 or 2019 or used the non-filer online portal to receive stimulus payments, they should automatically receive their payments without taking any further action. However, families who did not file taxes in the last two years or register for the stimulus payments will have to use the GetCTC.org/CTCOH non-filer portal to claim their Child Tax Credit payments.
Help spread the word! Download and share this flyer with families in your community.
Ohio AEYC | The Fall Fantabulous: A Virtual Event for Early Childhood Educators
Wednesday, November 10 through Thursday, November 11
ZERO TO THREE | State Strategies to Strengthen Infant-Toddler Care as Public Pre-k Expands
Tuesday, November 16 at 2:00 PM ET
Clayton Early Learning | Beyond Toxic Stress: Why Preventing Childhood Adversity is NOT Enough
Tuesday, November 16 at 5:00 PM ET
OCALI | Early Childhood at OCALICONLINE 2021
Tuesday, November 16 through Friday, November 19
National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers | Medicaid Postpartum Extension: What is it and Why is it Necessary?
Wednesday, November 17 at 12:00 PM ET
Alliance for Early Success | Why Early Childhood Advocates Must Upend Zero-Sum Perceptions of Government Solutions
Wednesday, November 17 at 3:00 PM
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