It's All About Relationships!
Parallels Between Infant-Toddler Development and the Public Policy Process

We all know that working with infants, toddlers and their families is all about relationships. Yet relationship-building is also at the heart of effective policy and advocacy, making those of us in the early childhood community perfectly suited for policy work.

This article explores relationship-building in both early childhood and in the world of policy and advocacy. With a deeper understanding of relationships and how to build them, we can be stronger advocates for babies, toddlers and their families. Click here to download and read the article now!

State Policy Update
California Promotes Developmental Screening Through Statewide Collaborative

In a statewide collaborative effort to increase the use of standardized developmental screening tools and referral into early intervention services for all young children, the California Statewide Screening Collaborative (CSSC) recently announced the California Screening Initiative. During the 2009-2010 program year, the new initiative will provide developmental screening resources and support activities for providers from multiple sectors who work with young children.

As part of the initiative's launch this month, the CSSC will release numerous new tools to promote developmental screening and referral to services. They have developed a new website, http://capwiz.com/zerotothree/utr/0/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.first5ecmh.org, which includes information on implementation of screening initiatives, examples of community screening efforts, resources on high-quality screening tools, and targeted information for providers from diverse sectors. For example, the website will feature a toolkit by this November, targeted for early care and education providers, that promotes communication among providers when there are developmental concerns about a child, and a chart developed for medical primary care providers that focuses on validated high quality screening tools for their use. The website will also offer discounts on the purchase of high-quality standardized tools to help make the screening tools accessible to providers.

To read the full state policy update and learn more about the California Screening Initiative, click here!

Federal Policy Update

The FY 2010 appropriations process continues under a month-long extension, while the Senate finalizes the last of its 12 appropriations bills. Once complete, differences between House and Senate funding levels will need to be worked out in conference committee. To see the funding levels allocated to specific programs that impact infants, toddlers, and their families, click here.

Meanwhile, reform of the health care system moved a step forward. Last week, the Senate Finance Committee approved its version of a health reform bill by a vote of 14-9. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Senate Finance Committee's bill would cost an estimated $829 billion over 10 years. This bill must now be combined with the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions' bill before the full Senate can begin debate on a final Senate version of the bill. In the House, although each of the three House committees with jurisdiction over health care have approved their version of reform (H.R. 3200), the full House has yet to vote on final passage.

Publications & Resources

QIC-EC Call for Proposals
The National Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhood (QIC-EC) is accepting proposals to implement and evaluate approaches that prevent child maltreatment and promote the optimal development of young children who are at high-risk for abuse, neglect, and abandonment. For more information on the RFP, click here.

Video Series on Early Childhood Science and Policy Presentations
Working with the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Center on the Developing Child recently created a three-part video series on early childhood development and policy. The series consists of four-minute videos, along with companion one-sheet handouts, based on scientific presentations given at the National Symposium on Early Childhood Science and Policy in June 2008.

Report on State Early Care & Education Developments
State Early Care and Education Public Policy Developments, the annual report from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), is now available for FY 2010. Despite economic hardships, states have managed to support a number of policy changes for infant/toddler initiatives, professional development, and child care subsidies. New funding made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has allowed states to avoid some cuts to early childhood programs, as well as fund expansions to certain existing and new programs.

Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs
A new study from the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, What Works? A Study of Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs, explores the critical elements of effective mental health consultation programs. The study provides recommendations from experts in the field to guide policymakers, funders, early childhood mental health consultation providers, early care and education program administrators, and researchers.