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Our weekly e-newsletter to providers combines provider resources, stories of interest, exclusive educational opportunities, and grant information. In this issue:
Looking back at 2021. Looking ahead to 2022!
The holiday season is upon us and with it Sarah and I hope each of you find some time to relax, recharge, and enjoy your friends and family.
2021 offered the promise of a return to business as usual for you and the people you serve in your communities, and while that reopening has been more gradual than we all might have hoped, we are grateful it is underway. If 2020 showed how we could endure and even innovate despite immense adversity, 2021 was often a lesson in patience, restraint, and grace.
It’s no secret that upstream prevention efforts are a critical piece of the puzzle to creating opportunities for children, youth, and families to be strong, healthy, and thrive. Your continued commitment and care, combined with high levels of engagement and interconnectivity, breathe life into that mission. At PIP this year we were overjoyed to see many of you and hear your stories of working every day to support thousands of families. Those stories are proof that, even in difficult seasons, our work in prevention can bear fruit. We thank you AND we are thankful for you.
2022 starts in just a few weeks. At PEI we welcome the new year and all the promise it contains. Like you, we’re prepared to dive into our work using methods new and time-tested to support Texas communities and continue creating opportunities to create safe, stable, and nurturing relationships between children and the adults that care from them. We’re looking forward to:
- Beginning in-person technical assistance, training, and monitoring visits
- Partnering to co-host our 3rd Pediatric Brain Health Summit
- Supporting the implementations of 7 Family Resource Centers and 4 Kinship Navigator Programs
- Providing much needed support for families and communities through federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, and much more!
There’s a lot to be done and we’re excited to share the journey with you. With the warmest wishes, Happy Holidays!
Sasha and Sarah
 
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Get Parenting Tips Turned One Last Week!
On December 15th, Get Parenting Tips celebrated one year of supporting families! Thank you for all of the visits and follows on our Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube accounts. Here's to many more years!
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About to be a Dad and trying to make sense of pregnancy, what to do, and where to start? The Father’s Playbook app is here to help. This app is developed for guys to help them understand pregnancy and prepare them for after the baby comes.
Providers are important in educating expectant fathers about their role in pregnancy and childbirth. This evidence-based, free resource can be easily distributed to your clients as additional support during this very important time in the lives of soon-to-be parents.
If you’re interested in sharing this app with your clients, you can request complimentary print materials about the app to display or to give to your clients. Learn more at:
PEI contracted with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler to develop community maltreatment risk maps. As of 9/1/2021 these maps have been updated on an all-new interactive website and include both ZIP Code and county level data on risk and resilience.
These maps can be used to inform strategic planning, needs assessments, and resource alignment to support families before they are in crisis.
Data presented in these maps are the estimated risk of maltreatment in communities across Texas. Data are not presented for communities with small child populations as these estimates are not reliable.
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 Chapin Hall has released a tool that helps researchers and practitioners examine existing survey data for racial or ethnic bias. It includes a set of 25 questions that cover survey design, sample collection, means of measuring race and ethnicity, and other factors that can determine the likelihood of bias. If bias is indicated, actions are recommended for remediation. Download the tool here.
 Grantees can now download a complete list of upcoming trainings on the PEI Learning Hub.
Did you know?
Essentials of Home Visiting Trainings:
- are approved training opportunities for multiple credentials;
- are IACET accredited (International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training);
- count towards training requirements to earn and renew a Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® from the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health.
Upon completion of the Essentials of Home Visiting learning experiences, participants earn in-service training credits from First3Years Texas. Review this crosswalk, which details The Essentials of Home Visiting trainings that support each Endorsement Knowledge & Skill Area, as well as credit hours a professional may earn upon completion.
Access the Essentials of Home Visiting live webinars through the Essentials of Home Visiting Portal free of cost.
Use this link to register for any webinars from Start EarlyTM
Understanding Substance Abuse through the Family Lens
Date: January 11th
Time: 12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. CDT
Register by: December 10th at 12:00 P.M. CDT
As a home visitor, how do you intentionally respond to situations where substance abuse is present in the families you support? This webinar discusses ways to recognize a family's values and strengths which can help guide you approach when working with a family impacted by substance abuse. We will also explore how substance abuse affects family dynamics. Note: This webinar complements Challenges in Home Visiting: Substance Abuse self-paced course.
Reflective Supervision
Date: January 14th
Time: 10:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. CDT
Register by: January 13th at 12:00 P.M. CDT
The reflective supervision model offers supervisors and staff an opportunity to engage in a collaborative process that involves shared power, clear mutual expectations, and free-flowing communication. This webinar examines the reflective supervision model as a process between the supervisor and staff member that differs from administrative supervision. Administrative supervision is about “the work you do,” and reflective supervision is about “what the work is doing to you.” As a result of this webinar, you will more prepared and confident when participating in reflective supervision with your staff. Note: This webinar complements the Supervising Home Visitors and the Impact of Trauma in Supervising Home Visitors self-paced courses.
 Date: February 3-5, 2022
Register
The CTAASFS conference provides opportunities to learn more about mental health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, substance use disorder and physical health challenges and solutions affecting families in and surrounding Central Texas. The conference is open to professionals of all walks of life and members of the public with lived experience navigating health and social systems. CEUs are available.
Learn more and register online.
COVID Vaccines and Pregnancy Posters
The Texas Department of State Health Services' (DSHS) TexasAIM program recently developed a free poster in English and Spanish to encourage pregnant people, people who are breastfeeding and people trying to get pregnant now or in the future, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Providers can now order the 17 X 24 posters from the Health and Human Services/DSHS Warehouse. These posters can be put in hospitals, clinics or other places where families visit.
You can also download and print the color and black and white 8.5 X 11 posters from the links below.
Social Media Content to Promote Awareness About COVID-19 Vaccines You can also use DSHS' social media content about pregnancy and COVID-19 vaccines through the DSHS Basecamp website.
If you choose to use DSHS' social media content, please tag @TexasDSHS when sharing the graphics or videos on social media.
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 Background
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has developed a brief survey about children’s mental health services. Specifically the survey is looking at the needs and gaps related to state psychiatric hospital services and community-based services that may reduce the need for state psychiatric hospital services. HHSC will use the survey results to help in future planning for crisis mental health services and service delivery for children up to age 18.
Your expertise is requested
The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete. Survey responses will remain anonymous. Pursuant to state law, parental consent is required for certain minors to complete the survey. HHSC encourages you to share the survey link with staff, local stakeholders and members of your local communities.
To complete the survey go to:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T37GMF8
The survey will remain open through January 14, 2022
If you have questions about the survey email BHSOMD@hhs.texas.gov or HHS_SHS_Questions@hhs.texas.gov.
For more information about HHSC State Hospital Services click here.
The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health is offering two $5,000 scholarships in honor of Stephany June Bryan. Scholarships will be awarded based on the following criteria and preferences:
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Lived experience with a mental health challenge and/or caring for a person with a mental health challenge.
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Financial impact of living with a mental health challenge and/ or caring for a person with a mental health challenge and the need for financial support to advance education/training.
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Impact of living as a person of color.
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Preference for a person residing in central Texas.
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Verification of enrollment for education/training.
Due Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 11:59 A.M. CST
Visit the Hogg Foundation website for more information and application instructions.
 AmeriCorps Texas Planning & Operating Grants Now Available for 2022-2023
Apply for resources to launch & operate an AmeriCorps Texas program in 2022. Grow the reach & impact of your nonprofit, school, or agency by leveraging the power & resources of national service! We are offering new funding opportunities for organizations interested in launching an AmeriCorps program in Texas. Grants are available to support organizations in either planning & development or launching & operating new AmeriCorps programs that engage individuals in direct service to address critical needs across Texas. Notice of Intent to Apply form is due Thursday, March 3, 2022.
Planning Grant Notice of Funding
Planning Grant recipients receive financial support up to $75,000 and OneStar training & resources to develop an AmeriCorps program from September 2022-August 2023. Planning grantees are expected to be better prepared to compete for an AmeriCorps operating grant in the 2023-2024 grant cycle.
Operating Grant Notice of Funding
Operating Grant recipients should be prepared to launch an AmeriCorps program with AmeriCorps members starting service in September 2022. All AmeriCorps members must serve solely within Texas. Grant amount awarded is based on the number of AmeriCorps members serving with your program.
PEI Parent Partner Position
Do you know a parent that has experience serving on a parent advisory committee, has been a mentor, or who has been active in prevention or other services in your community? If so please share this exciting opportunity!
Our Parent Partner assists PEI in effectively incorporating parent input into the work we do with the families of Texas. The right applicant will offer their skills and expertise to:
- Review and provide guidance to PEI staff in the development of policy,
- Practice and promote family-focused philosophy,
- Assist in integration of new methods and procedures as it relates to parent support,
- Plan, develop, and revise policy and procedures,
- Prepare routine and special reports about the work we’re doing in this area (including presentations!).
Check out the job link and apply today!
PEI Training and Development Specialist Opening
PEI is searching for a Training and Development Specialist to perform advanced (senior-level) training and development work designed to advance the skills and knowledge of the prevention workforce and improve existing trainings. Work involves analyzing training needs, coordinating, and conducting training sessions using a variety of training methods, and developing and evaluating training programs. May plan, assign, and/or prioritize the work of others. Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
See the job link for more info.
PEI Division Administrator for Research and Evaluation
The Prevention and Early Intervention Division is accepting applications for a PEI Division Administrator for Research and Evaluation.
This position helps oversee our data and IT system, evaluation projects, continuous quality improvement work, and deep dives into data to help tell the story of prevention in Texas. Position will supervise six staff and is housed in Austin. Learn more.
Office of Court Administration Liaisons
Early Intervention Court Liaisons will develop and nurture relationships withcommunity resources and services that provide support to families, to create and maintain a community system of care for young children and their families. These positions will support the local child protection court and help develop prevention service capacity in targeted communities through connection to local referral networks to better connect and inform families of services available.
There are three Early Intervention Court Liaison positions available, one in each of the following counties: Bell, Galveston, and Lubbock.
Non-profit Technology Enterprise Network (NTEN) has published an article that explains how posting salaries on job listings is a gender equity, racial equity, and intersectional identity equity issue. A key component of their DEI Strategy is their job board, a popular destination for job seekers which has a role to play in NTEN's commitment to equity. Repro Jobs has also published an article on the importance of posting salaries on job descriptions because it makes hiring easier and is a chance to show a company's values.
All users of the PEIRS application are required to complete an IT cybersecurity training on an annual basis. To meet this requirement, PEI offers a training created and hosted by Texas Health and Human Services. This training is approved by the Department of Information Resources.
When you arrive on the website, select the option for HHS Information Security/Cybersecurity Training for Contractors FY2022.
You will see this image next to the training:
If this is your first time using the HHS Learning Portal, you will have to register for a new account before enrolling in the course. Note that this account is different from the HHS Enterprise Portal registration and the DFPS Learning Portal.
Once the training is completed, users should complete the knowledge test, print the completion certificate, and save with other contract compliance documents.
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- The new PEIRS “Report 12 – Timely and Accurate Data – Services” can be found for all contracts on the Reports tab. This is designed to be used by providers and PEI staff to determine the timeliness in which services were entered or last updated for enrollments within a contract workflow in PEIRS. Information aligns with contractual obligations for timely service entry.
- Fixed an issue where users were not able to dismiss or delete Data Collection tasks.
- Fixed an issue where Data Collection items did not display correctly within an enrollment.
For more information on these changes, or to report issues, contact peidata@dfps.texas.gov
If you have any events or news that you would like to share in the next e-newsletter please email PEINews@dfps.texas.gov
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