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Wilder Early Childhood Initiative Research Report
Investing in early childhood care and learning pays big dividends for communities and businesses. Scientific research confirms that children's earliest experiences, starting even before birth, dramatically affect their ability to succeed. Unfortunately, every year about half of Minnesota's children enter kindergarten not fully prepared to succeed, according to recent studies by the Minnesota Department of Education.
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation, along with the other five Minnesota Initiative Foundations, and generous support from the McKnight Foundation, has made an ambitious nine-year commitment to the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative. Our purpose is to promote high-quality early care and education for children from birth to age five throughout the state, while supporting parents in their important work. Local early childhood coalitions design strategic action plans to improve outcomes for their youngest children. Grassroots advocacy for early childhood helps direct our state's future public policy decisions.
If we are concerned about the future economic vitality of our communities, then we need to make long term investments in our future neighbors, co-workers and community leaders by nurturing them right from the beginning. Our investments pay off in lower crime rates, less need for public assistance, better public schools and better lives for families. We all benefit when our youngest citizens thrive.
Early Childhood Initiative themes in common
The issue involves more than just parents and schools. Early childhood education and care is an economic issue. Supporting our children's development pays real dividends. Economists Art Rolnick and Rob Grunewald, of the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, published a study showing every dollar spent on quality early childhood programs saves $7 in negative outcomes, including school failure, juvenile delinquency, special education, out of home placements, teen pregnancy, and welfare dependency.
Funded by grants from The McKnight Foundation and five other Minnesota foundations, the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative is directed by the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations (MIFs). Each MIF is seeking additional program funding from partners. Local funding partners bring additional resources for programs.
Eighty-six community coalitions are now meeting and working statewide. The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is working with twelve coalitions in northwestern Minnesota, in the communities of Park Rapids, Warroad, Bagley, Thief River Falls, Crookston, Marshall County, the Bemidji Area, Lake of the Woods County, Naytahwaush, Fertile-Beltrami, Clearbrook/Gonvick, and Norman County East.
They have been selected because they are motivated to be successful in making their vision for young children a reality, they are ready to commit time and resources to bettering the lives of young children, and have leaders with the commitment, expertise and willingness to partner with us to make a difference in their community.
ECI Coordinators - Online Forms Available for Download Here
Minnesota Thrive Initiative
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) and an Action Team of area leaders are focusing on strengthening early childhood mental health services for young children and families in the Bemidji, Blackduck and Kelliher communities. With $1.5 million from the Bush Foundation in a $2.5 million project, NMF selected this area as one of six pilot sites to participate in the statewide Minnesota Thrive Initiative - promoting the healthy social and emotional development of our youngest children. The six Minnesota Initiative Foundations (MIFs) are collaborating in this joint venture. Bemidji-Blackduck-Kelliher has received $380,000 over three years for planning and implementing a continuum of care.
Early childhood mental health is the developing capacity of a child to experience, regulate, and express emotions; form close and secure interpersonal relationships; and explore the environment and learn. A young child's healthy social and emotional development forms a strong foundation for all other development, including cognitive - the ability to learn and thrive in school. Secure attachment with a nurturing, responsive caregiver is a good start toward healthy development for a baby.
Children under the age of five can experience an array of emotional, behavioral and mental health problems, but most go untreated. Parents and caregivers are often unsure what to do or where to turn. Unsettled living conditions, poor early bonding with caregivers, poor early social skills, family violence and substance abuse can be contributing factors. Left untreated, early childhood mental health problems can lead to difficulty in school, an inability to develop friendships and poor social skills. According to the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General, one in ten children suffer from a mental illness, yet only one in five receives needed treatment or services. With help, many problems can be alleviated and not become a lifelong illness.
The goals of the Minnesota Thrive Initiative are to raise awareness of children's mental health needs between the ages of birth and five, determine existing services and gaps, and develop of network of services for families and young children, supporting healthy social and emotional development. The local Action Team has gathered information and developed a plan, so that existing services work well together and gaps in service are reduced. The whole community is also part of the plan.
As part of this Initiative, the MIFs are creating a statewide learning community to facilitate the sharing of information among the six pilot sites and other statewide partners such as the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Children's Mental Health Association, the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network, and the Minnesota Head Start Association.
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