Ingham Great Start Collaborative, Birth to Five Vision Statement:
Every Ingham County child ready to succeed in school and life"

AGENDA - Wednesday, January 10, 2007

1:30        Introductions - All

1:35          ECIC updates

1:45        Community Needs Assessment – small group discussion follow-up

Continue reviewing the work of the small groups from November’s GSC meeting, and share the questions the groups raised (Areas: Social-Emotional and Family Support).  Discuss next steps.

2:15          Power of We Updates – Michelle Nicholson, Peggy Roberts

A brief report from Dec 17^th Power of We meeting (Earned Income Credits), and POW Data Committee meeting on Dec 11^th.

2:20          Parent Liaisons Updates  - Wendy Nowicke, Sharlina Pye-Mack

2:25          Business & Faith-based Initiatives Updates  - Michelle

2:40          Advisory Sub-Groups – Updates
                        Great Parents Great Start, Early On, Jump Start

2:45          Workgroups - Updates (see written reports)

                        Public Awareness – monthly themes and Q&A - Michelle

                Literacy Coalition                                                  Beany Tomber

                  Public Awareness                                                   Jill Lawler

                  Safe Sleep/Infant Mortality                                     Lisa Chambers

                  Quality Initiatives                                                   Michelle Nicholson

                  Kindergarten Transition                                         Bev Phillips/Lucy McClintic

                  Parent Education                                                    Ken Sperber                                              

                 Operations Committee                                             Michelle Nicholson
                                              

3:00        Agency Spotlight: Ingham Health Disparities Coalition – Lisa Chambers

Focus on IHP Coalition activities and plans for 2007

3:20        Updates – All

3:30        GSC Meeting officially ends

3:30-3:45      Parent Debriefing

Next Meeting will be February 14, 2007, 1:30-3:30 at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 549 E. Mt. Hope in Lansing (1 block East of Cedar).  Child Care will be available by Reservation Only - Call 371-1347.

Ingham Great Start Collaborative, Birth to Five

MINUTES - Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Birth to Five Subcommittee

Great Start Collaborative (GSC)

MEETING MINUTES

Wednesday January 10, 2007

Present: Lori Brasic - OYC, Carol Buzzitta - Expectant Parent Organization, Lisa Chambers - Jump Start, Rona Harris - Parent, Barry Kaufman - CEI/CMH, Teresa Kmetz - Capital Area United Way, Pat Lamison - MSU Extension, Adam Longwell - Parent, Michelle Nicholson - IISD, Wendy Nowicke - Parent and Head Start Policy Council, Stephanie Peters - IISD, Bev Phillips - Lansing School District, Yvonne Phillips - Lansing Mayor’s Office of Community and Faith-based Initiatives, Sharlina Pye-Mack - Parent, Peggy Roberts - Power of We, Ken Sperber - Community Rep, Beany Tomber - MSU/WKAR, Diane Weinberger - CEI/CMH, Tracy Wennberg - Parent & Early On Family Committee, Barbara Zielinski - Ingham Regional Medical Center, and Cherie Barber - ECIC

Michelle Nicholson chaired the meeting.  During introductions Bev Phillips shared flyers and posters about the Lansing School District Magnet Fair on 1/27/07 from 1-4pm at Don Johnson Field House at Eastern High School.

ECIC Updates

Michelle explained that the Executive Committee of the ECIC Board has invited members of the Ingham GSC to a meeting on 1/24/07 for an exchange of ideas and feedback on the GSC project. In response to a question Cherie stated that the ECIC Board is interested in very frank feedback. Members of the Ingham GSC Operations Committee will meet with ECIC staff on 1/16/07 to plan the meeting with the ECIC Executive Committee, which will be held on Jan 24^th.  In the course of the year the ECIC will also be inviting other local Collaboratives to their meetings to discuss ongoing issues, concerns, and successes.  Cherie also stated that the ECIC will be offering additional technical assistance and training sessions Feb. 21 -23, 2007 for local Great Start Collaboratives.

Community Needs Assessment

The GSC has spent some time at each of the last two meetings reviewing the feedback from the small groups discussions on the Data Reports.  At the 12/13/07 meeting Ken, Lori, and Maureen began the process of sharing back the small group comments and questions to the larger group covering the first two areas of Community Conditions, and Physical Health.  At the 1/10/07 meeting the discussion and feedback continued with Diane Weinberger leading the group through the feedback in the component area of Social Emotional Health, and Lisa Chambers in the area of Parent Education & Family Support.

GSC members shared additional comments and questions, which will be added to the list.  This process of sharing the small group comments for two areas, with the larger group, will continue at the next GSC meeting.  It was noted that the Community Needs Assessment is an ongoing process, the data and its presentation will be continued to be refined.  After the data sets are finalized, the Collaborative will begin prioritizing the information to develop a presentation that can be used to engage the wider community in conversations about early childhood issues.

Power of We – Updates

            Michelle Nicholson and Peg Roberts reported about the initiatives to help publicize the Earned Income Tax Credits in Michigan.  The EITC has been under utilized in Michigan and could benefit many more working low-income families.  Flyers were passed out describing the EITC and free tax preparation assistance.  This information is available at the Michigan EITC Statewide Coalition website http://www.MichiganEIC.org , in addition the materials are available in Spanish at the website.  The following information comes from that website:

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Tax season is approaching, and many working individuals are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC. The EITC is a tax federal tax refund for eligible working individuals and households.  You must have earned income to apply for the EITC. Households that qualify for the EITC could receive a tax credit refund of up to $4,500

 Who qualifies for the EITC?

• Families with one child who earn less than $32,001 in 2006 (or less than $34,001 for married workers) are eligible for a credit of up to $2,747.
• Families with two or more children who earn less than $36,348 in 2006 (or less than $38,348 for married workers) are eligible for a credit of up to $4,536.
• Workers without a qualifying child who earn less than $12,120 in 2006 (or less than $14,120 for married workers) are eligible for a credit of up to $412.

How do Michigan Workers claim the EITC?
This credit is available by completing Schedule EIC in the Federal 1040 or 1040A. Free tax preparation services for EITC eligible tax payers are available. Volunteer Income Assistance, or VITA, program provides IRS-trained volunteers to prepare and file tax returns for free. Credit unions and Michigan Works! Offices are offering a web-based, self-preparation service called I-CAN! EIC™. Written at a fifth-grade level, ICAN! EIC allows eligible tax payers to complete and e-file their federal and state tax returns on their own and for free.

Free Tax Preparation Services: 

• ICAN! EIC free file is available anyplace you can get on the Internet including several Michigan credit unions and Michigan Works sites.  Click on ICAN!EIC for more information about using this free web-based tax preparation program.
• IRS-approved volunteer tax preparation services may be available in your community. Click here for a list of free tax preparation sites by county in Michigan. 

Parent Liaisons Updates 

          Sharlina Pye-Mack reported that along with Wendy Nowicke they had collected updated information about the parenting programs listed on the MiGreatParents website.  From the updates they gathered Ken made the changes on the MiGreatParents website: http://www.MiGreatParents.org/coparents.cfm?county=Ingham 

            The next step in the process is that the Parent Education Workgroup has began to cross-check these listing with the In Touch parenting listings.  We want to make sure these listings are also updated, because when the 211 calling center becomes active for our area, they will be using the In Touch database for all community service referrals.  The link for In Touch is: http://www.referweb.net/lansing

Advisory Sub-Groups and Initiatives - Updates

          Michelle shared updates about the Faith-Based and Business initiatives.  Yvonne will be working under a Performance Contract with the GSC and also through an arrangement with the Mayor’s Office on Community and Faith-Based Initiatives.  Michelle and Yvonne will be meeting with Christian Services who have contracted with the Health Department to help with the Ingham Health Disparities and Infant Mortality Initiatives. The goal is develop a coordinated strategy and messages around Safe Sleep and other early childhood issues for the GSC, the City and County initiatives.

            Lynne Martinez is working under a Performance Contract with the GSC to organize a forum for Bill Millett to speak to area business leaders and economic development planners.  The topic will be the significant relationship between early childhood education and economic development from a business perspective.  Bill Millett has done a lot of work with Smart Start in North Carolina and with the ECIC and other local Great Start Collaboratives in Michigan.  For additional information about Bill Millet visit his website at www.scopeview.net .  The tentative plans are for the business conference to happen on 2/1/07 from 4-6pm.  Lynne is working to help develop co-sponsors for the event including the Chamber of Commerce, Lansing EDC and Planning & Neighborhood Development Department, Great Lakes Capital Fund, Capital Area United Way, MSU and others.  As soon as a location has been determined copies of the invitation will be shared with GSC members.

Agency Spotlight: Ingham Infant Health Disparities Initiative

On behalf of the Infant Health Disparities Coalition, Lisa Chambers did a Power Point presentation including the following information:

Infant Mortality Statistics

-    Identified the top 11 Michigan Counties with highest disparity

-    Ingham County’s overall rate is 7.2

-    Lansing Infant Mortality Rate: 7.7

-    Black/White ratio

-    Black: 14.2

-    White: 5.1

Infant Health Disparity Initiative

-    Funded by the Michigan Department of Community Health

-    Community-based initiative

-    2006 Goals:

-    To keep mothers and infants alive and well before, during, and after birth

-    To reduce disparities in survival among population groups

Infant Health Disparity Initiative

-    March – September 2005

-    Power of We Consortium charged to provide Initiative oversight

-    Form Coalition

-    Convene Focus Groups and Analyze Results

-    Conduct System Analysis

-    Create Community Action Plan

-    October 2005 – September 2006

-    Implement Community Action Plan

-    Establish a Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)

2006 Community Action Plan

-    Public Awareness and Outreach/ Continuum of Support

-   GLAAHI – Parent support groups at Advent House

-   Christian Services – Information dissemination to African American churches

-   Lansing Housing Commission – peer support system

-   Neighborhood Centers – Connecting residents to resources and services

2006 Community Action Plan

-    Established Fetal Infant Mortality Review Program

-    Case Abstractions/chart review

-    Home interview

-    Case Review Team

-    Community Action Team (Coalition members)

Infant Health Disparity Initiative

-    2007 Maternal Health, Pre-conceptional Health Outcomes

-    Fewer pre-term births

-    Fewer low birth weight births

-  More planned pregnancies

-    More pregnancies with 18 month pregnancy interval

Plan of Action (Oct 06 – Sept 07)

-    Preconception and inter-conception care for African American women

-    Develop a more coordinated system of care (WIC, Family Planning, Maternal Infant Health Program)

-    Two-year follow-up of A.A. first time mothers

-    Strengthen smoking cessation services

-    Continue Fetal Infant Mortality Review Program

-    Continue collaborative efforts with coalition member organizations

Contact Information: Lisa Chambers, 272-4122 or  LCHAMBERS@INGHAM.ORG

Birth to Five Sub-Committee Workgroup Sharing

          The Workgroup Summary Report was emailed to all GSC members, and made available at the meeting.  The Workgroup Summary Report covers the activities of each of the GSC workgroups during December 2006 (see attached).  Michelle reviewed the plans from the Public Awareness workgroup to publicize an early childhood theme for each month of the year.   Ready to print newsletter articles and shorter bulleted summaries for each monthly topic are included in the Business and Faith-based Tool Kits companion CD.  Members of the GSC were also urged to use these materials in their agency newsletters and contacts with parents.  The calendar of topics and the individual monthly theme articles see attached are available at the GSC website in a new section titled Parenting Articles.  The Safe Sleep Coalition is still willing to help set-up a parent training or staff in-service on Safe Sleep (contact Mary Adkins at Tomorrow’s Child by phone: (517)485-7437 or email: MAdkins@tomorrowschildmi.org ).

Announcements

-         Expectant Parent Organization will be offering “Current Issues in Peri-natal Health” for 10.7 contact hours of continuing education for nurses.  Contact Carol Buzzitta at 337-7365 for more information.

-         Beany Tomber described the Parenting Counts DVD and passed around the 9 topical brochures.  For copies of the materials contact Beany Tomber at Beany@WKAR.org. 

-         Coming Together for Children the early childhood conference sponsored by LCC, OYC and CMAEYC will be held on 2/10/07 in Lansing.  Conference Programs and registration forms were passed out and are available at the GSC Birth to Five website in the training section.

-         Flyers for the Dr. Mel Levine workshop titled “Calibrating, Celebrating, and Cultivating All Kinds of Minds” to be held at MSU Kellogg Center on 2/27/07 were distributed.  The flyer and registration form are available at the GSC Birth to Five website in the training section.

-         The next meeting of the KEEP Task force will be held on 2/8/07 at MSU Extension Office at 5303 S Cedar Lansing. The featured speakers will be John Castillo from Cristo Rey and Jim Papparalla from Child and Family Services.  For more information contact Barry Kaufman 887-5259.

-         The Proud Parents Program offers a ten week program “Strengthening the Couple Relationship” on Wednesday evenings beginning 1/31/07.  For more information contact Jeff Keener at 482-1504 ext #120.

-         Family Adoption Support Program will be meeting at Catholic Social Services St Vincent Home on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:30pm, contact Barry Kaufman 887-5259.

-         Capital Area United Way is seeking additional proposal grant readers to help with the CAUW grant allocation process.  There is a need for participants to help evaluate proposals for “Youth Programs” (March 8^th) and “Strengthening Parents” (March 3^rd).  Contact Sharon Granger or Teresa Kmetz at 203-5000.

Next Meeting

The next Birth to Five, Ingham GSC meeting will be on Wednesday, 2/14/07 from 1:30pm – 3:30pm at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 549 E. Mt. Hope, Lansing.  Childcare will be available on-site with advance reservation before 2/1/07 at the Family Growth Center 371-1347.

Ingham Great Start Collaborative, Birth to Five

Workgroups Summary Reports - December 2006

GSC Website Navigation   GSC, Birth to Five homepage   GSC Agenda and Minutes   GSC Workgroups   GSC Training   GSC Members   GSC Meeting Calendars