Connect (Events)

• New 10/15: Zero to Three Forum: Expanding Intentional and Protective Family Support and Engagement. “Family partnerships represent a shared relationship in which infant-family professionals commit to meaningfully engaging parents as they explore their approach to parenting and the unique relationship they share with their child. This forum will present strategies for discussing sensitive parenting issues as well as guidance on framing positive parenting practices so that they are both relevant and actionable for families.” Check out all of Zero to Three’s upcoming learning opportunities. (11/16 &18)
• New 10/15: Our Identities, Ourselves: Antiracist Guidelines for Collecting Data on Race and Ethnicity. The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), in partnership with Casey Family Programs has been gathering information to identify and share best practices for collecting data about race, ethnicity, and other demographic information including sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE), national origin, language spoken, disability, and tribal affiliation in child welfare agencies nationwide. In this webinar, we will share best practices and tools for centering equity and constituent voice in data collection, analysis, reporting and use. View the report here. (10/18)
• New 10/15: The Dad Allies Initiative established a series of responsive community, provider, and dad focused events to build Washington state’s father-friendly capacity to support dads to become the fathers their children and families need them to be. These knowledge- and skill-building sessions with state and national presenters are held to strengthen our provider network to effectively engage and support fathers and father-figures. You can register for each event at the links below, and learn more here. Upcoming Events: 29: Fatherhood Inclusion in Home Visits (Event flyer); Nov. 10: Dads 101: Fatherhood Engagement Best Practices (Registration coming soon)
• New 10/15: Washington Health Care Authority and Accountable Communities of Health 2021 Learning Symposium: Advancing Health Through Community Partnerships. This year's symposium will address important topics including social determinants of health, the impacts of COVID-19, Tribal partnerships, youth-focused initiatives, the future of ACHs and Washington's Medicaid waiver renewal. This year's keynote speakers are Soma Sahawith Well-being and Equity (WE) in the World and Well Being In the Nation (WIN) Network and Yolo Akili Robinson with the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. (11/2-4)
• New 10/15: Zeroing in on Skeptics with Jonathan Metzl: Why Early Childhood Advocates Must Upend Zero-Sum Perceptions of Government Solutions from the Alliance for Early Success. Jonathan Metzl, author of the best-selling Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America’s Heartland, has done extensive research on voters who oppose health policies that would benefit them. (11/17)
• New 10/15: The ACT Program from the UW Barnard Center for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health is a 15-month, community learning structured, professional development program designed for post-graduate (Masters or PsyD) licensed and license-eligible mental health professionals. The ACT Program integrates diversity-informed practice principles based on the Diversity-Informed Tenets for Work with Infants, Children and Families to prepare clinicians to address the influences of systemic and structural inequities on the lives of infants, children and families, themselves, and their practice. Upcoming Open House events through January.
• 2021 DV Symposium - Coercive Control: The Hidden Reality of Intimate Partner Violence. A collaborative symposium promoting critical and innovative thinking for prosecution, law enforcement, civil and family law attorneys, advocates, judges, law students, social workers and child welfare professionals, corrections, mental health/healthcare professionals and others responding to survivors of gender-based/domestic violence. (10/19-10/29)
• Pathways to Prevention Webinar Series: Translating Child Maltreatment and ACEs Prevention Research into Practice from the Colorado School of Public Health. Upcoming webinar: Indigenous Connectedness for Child Wellbeing (10/20 and ongoing)
• The Alliance for Strong Families and Communities presents the SPARK 2021 conference. “Mark your calendars for this three-day, virtual learning experience, to convene leaders from across the human services ecosystem to create a unified, intrepid, just, and purposeful network so that all people can thrive.” Speakers include Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Heather McGhee. (10/12-14)
• Supported Employment monthly topical webinar: Justice-Involved Jobseekers from the Healthcare Authority. This webinar will focus on ways to support reentry employment. Register here (webinar, 10/21)
• How we endUP | A Future without Family Policing. “Join the upEND Movement October 26-27, 2021 for the second annual convening of organizers, activists, scholars, and community leaders who are committed to dismantling the family policing system* a system predicated on the subjugation, surveillance, control, and punishment of mostly poor Black and Native children and families.” (10/26-27)
• NICWA Training Institute presents Positive Indian Parenting. “Positive Indian Parenting prepares tribal and non-tribal child welfare personnel to train American Indian and Alaska Native parents using a culturally specific approach.” (11/1-4)
• Washington Health Care Authority and Accountable Communities of Health 2021 Learning Symposium: Advancing Health Through Community Partnerships. This year's symposium will address important topics including social determinants of health, the impacts of COVID-19, Tribal partnerships, youth-focused initiatives, the future of ACHs and Washington's Medicaid waiver renewal. This year's keynote speakers are Soma Stout with We in the World and Yolo Akili Robinson with the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. (11/2-4)
• Immigrant Families: Spreading and Adapting 2Gen Working Practices. Hosted by the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group in partnership with the Migration Policy Institute and Ascend at the Aspen Institute, this four-part webinar series will unpack the nuts and bolts of creative strategies that nonprofit organizations have implemented to deliver 2Gen services to immigrant families, youth and children. (11/10)
• Zeroing in on Skeptics with Jonathan Metzl: Why Early Childhood Advocates Must Upend Zero-Sum Perceptions of Government Solutions. Metzl is a Tennessee physician and the author of the acclaimed book Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America’s Heartland. He has done extensive research on voters who oppose health policies that would benefit them. Presented by the Alliance for Early Success. Reserve your spot here. (11/17)

Learn (Educational Resources)

• Zero to Three has a guide of resources for grandparents caring for children both full-time and part-time.
• World Mental Health day was October 10. Check out this collection of articles from Annual Reviews which offer a range of the most recent and important research and reviews in mental health.
• Angst is an iNDIEFLIX Original documentary designed to raise awareness around anxiety. Angst removes the stigma and opens up the conversation around anxiety, helping people understand and manage their symptoms, and when to reach out for help. Most importantly, it shows people that they are not alone, and that anxiety is 100% treatable.
• Using Procurement To Advance Equity And Inclusion: Procurement is a powerful – but often overlooked – tool for improving racial equity. Most cities spend 30-50 percent of their annual budget through procurement and contracts, from paving roads to programming at community centers, yet Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) receive only a small share of government contract dollars. This session will highlight some of the strategies leaders and staff are using to drive more dollars to small and diverse businesses and achieve more equitable outcomes for historically marginalized populations. (Webinar recording)

Innovate (News and New Insights)

• Introducing Seen and Heard, a new podcast from the Institute for Family about distrupting the child welfare system by seeing families in their full humanity. In their innagural episode, “What if we didn’t have to wait until bad enough”, spoken word poet Slam Anderson, and her mom, Lillie Lee-Williams, engage in an emotional conversation with host Matt Anderson that demonstrates the strength of family bonds despite a 14-year child welfare-initiated separation.
• The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health BoardTHRIVE project has released new and updated materials for the Crisis Text Line and #WeNeedYouHere social media images for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for World Suicide Prevention Day. Attached you will find images to share on social media to get these messages out to community members.
• Washington Behavioral Health Conference is seeking presenters. The 32nd annual Washington Behavioral Healthcare conference (WBHC) will be held in June of 2022. on Wednesday, June 15 to Friday, June 17, 2022. The theme is Surviving and Thriving in a Changing World. The conference brings together a diverse group of presenters to share information about therapeutic interventions and advance best practices.

Grow (Funding and Resources)

• New 10/15: Mini-Tech Grants For Washington Nonprofits. Grant awards can be up to $1,500! Grants will be used to purchase technology that supports your service to culturally, economically, and linguistically diverse family caregivers. Examples: Licenses for software and virtual meeting platforms (Zoom, MS Office, MS Teams, etc.), Mass texting, Call-joining services, Podcasts apps and licenses, Video or graphic technology used to share information and support with caregivers, Offer online support groups, recreation, activities, classes, etc. for caregivers
• Awards can include costs for more than one type of technology. (first come, first served)
• New 10/15: The Department of Commerce is pleased to announce a new solicitation for projects. A total of $54 million is available for investment in the acquisition or rental of real property for rapid conversion into enhanced emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, permanent housing, youth housing, or shelter for people with extremely low incomes, as well as people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, in Washington state. See the bulletin or the announcement materials. (Due 11/10)
• New 10/15: The Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program from the Washington State Department of Commerce aims to help Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) contractors and Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) providers to expand, remodel, purchase, or construct early learning facilities and classrooms necessary to support early learning opportunities for children from low-income households. (Pre-application due 11/16, final due 12/1)
• New 10/15: The Behavioral Health Facilities (BHF) program from the Washington Department of Commerce The Behavioral Health Facilities (BHF) program aims to support community providers in expanding and establishing new capacity for behavioral health services in communities. Commerce’s BHF program funding opportunities include: Competitive grants to eligible organizations; Direct appropriations from the Legislature. Informational webinar on 10/21.. (Pre-application due 11/16, final due 12/1)
• PPE Backstop: Apply for additional Personal Protective Equipment for your agency from the Washington Department of Health. State, local, and tribal agencies, partner associations, health care providers and businesses are encouraged to order PPE to return state backstops to pre-COVID levels and allow entities to utilize existing, available PPE before it expires. Organizations are able to order up to a 90-day supply of PPE from the state backstop. (Available through 10/31)

If you have suggestions for what to include in this newsletter, email Joy Lile.