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Technical Assistance
Partner Organizations and Resources That Support State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiatives
If you are seeking information or support, the partner organizations are here to help!
For Technical Assistance on any aspect of the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative, contact Altarum:
Altarum is the MCHB-funded technical assistance (TA) provider for the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) initiative. Altarum provides and coordinates TA to State ECCS grantees based on the needs identified by the grantees. Altarum staff are available to answer questions and discuss grantee concerns over the telephone or via email. More extensive TA requests must be directed to the grantee’s MCHB Project Officer who will review the request and determine whether the TA can be provided and the form that it will take. Grantees are welcome to contact Altarum regardless of whether or not they have identified specific needs. The Altarum contacts can be reached at 202-828-5100 and are Chris Botsko (chris.botsko@altarum.org) or Jodi Anthony (jodi.anthony@altarum.org). Altarum offers:
- Customized assistance regarding all aspect of State ECCS planning and implementation.
- Coordination of TA provided by other State ECCS resource partners.
For information on policies linking child health, early care and learning and family support, contact Project THRIVE at the National Center for Children in Poverty:
Phone: 646-284-9600
Web site: http://www.nccp.org/projects/thrive.html
Collaborating with State ECCS grantees, their partners, and other leaders in the field, THRIVE will provide policy analysis and TA that helps States strengthen and expand early childhood systems to ensure that young children and their families have access to high-quality health care, developmental services, and parenting supports. Through a “virtual” policy sharing network, using telephone and web-based conference calls, it will facilitate the sharing of information among State early childhood leaders. Issue briefs and reports on emerging topics and strategies will be available to State leaders and family advocates. Project THRIVE is located at the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) of Columbia University. If you would like to discuss policy opportunities, challenges, and/or strategies, contact Suzanne Theberge, project coordinator (theberge@nccp.org or 646-284-9600) or co-director Kay Johnson (johnsongci@aol.com or 802-482-3005).
For information on the evaluation of the State ECCS program, contact The Lewin Group:
The Lewin Group is a health care and human services consulting company that has been contracted by the MCHB to conduct an evaluation of the State ECCS implementation grant program. The goal of the evaluation is to assess the impact of the program in achieving improvements and integration in early childhood systems. The evaluation will also examine strategies used by grantees to foster collaboration and coordination, the extent to which grantees have incorporated Healthy Child Care America (HCCA) concepts/objectives, key facilitators and challenges experienced during the implementation process, and the effectiveness of the TA received by grantees. The evaluation will involve gathering information from grantees via telephone interviews, surveys, and/or site visits. For additional information on the evaluation, please contact Joseph Zogby, the MCHB Project Officer, or Lewin Group contacts Jennifer M. Kuo (703-269-5573 or jennifer.kuo@lewin.com) or Colleen Hirschkorn (703-269-5557 or colleen.hirschkorn@lewin.com).
For information about the National Registry of Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC) and State CCHC initiatives, contact the Healthy Child Care Consultant Network Support Center:
Web site: http://hcccnsc.edc.org
The Healthy Child Care Consultant Network Support Center (NSC) at Education Development Center, Inc., supports State ECCS projects in implementing Healthy Child Care America’s goal of building and sustaining Statewide CCHC networks. The NSC website features a national CCHC Registry and profiles describing each State’s current training, funding, and use of CCHCs in their area. The NSC is available to provide technical assistance to support selected State ECCS grantees in providing accessible CCHC networks for early care and education programs in their States. For information about the registry, e-mail nsc@edc.org.
For support strengthening the link between child care and health or help locating child care health and safety policies, strategies, and resources, contact the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Early Education and Child Care staff at:
Email: childcare@aap.org
Phone: 888-227-5409
Web site: http://www.healthychildcare.org/
Through its Child Care and Health Partnership program, the AAP 1) educates child care providers about evidence-based health and safety practices, 2) strengthens partnerships between health professionals and early childhood professionals, 3) supports the healthy development and school readiness of children in child care, and 4) educates pediatricians and child health professionals about their role in promoting quality early education and child care. Activities include disseminating Web- and paper-based resources; coordinating trainings and educational sessions; and providing customized technical assistance. A significant component of the program is targeted to sustaining Healthy Child Care America objectives within State ECCS initiatives. AAP can:
- Connect you with AAP chapters, pediatric leaders, HCCA representatives, Medical Home champions, and other key health contacts.
- Identify resources and training/networking opportunities for pediatricians and other certified health professionals interested in child care health and safety.
- Provide information on AAP policies, resources, and funding opportunities.
For State contacts, information on national standards and related resources, or strategies to enhance or change existing State child care regulations, contact the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education:
Phone: 800-598-5437
Web site: http://nrc.uchsc.edu
The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC) supports State and local health departments, regulatory agencies, providers and parents in their efforts to promote and enhance health and safety standards in child care and early education settings. The Center uses the Web, print materials and communication links such as listservs to disseminate best practices that promote optimal child development in healthy and safe out-of-home care environments. Goals include 1) fostering national, regional, State, and local partnerships with entities and individuals promoting optimal early childhood developmental and educational outcomes and 2) creating, maintaining and disseminating standards-based health and safety information for child care. NRC can help you:
- Connect to health and safety experts.
- Learn how other States have met health and safety challenges in particular issues.
- Find new resources to support your project’s goals.
- Compare national health and safety performance standards to your State regulations.
For information on child care health consultant training opportunities or help identifying child care health consultant trainers in a particular location, contact the National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants:
Phone: 919-966-3780
Web site: http://www.sph.unc.edu/courses/childcare/
The primary goal of the National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants (NTI) is to support the healthy and safe development of young children in out-of-home child care programs by 1) Supporting State-based systems for training public and private sector health professionals to serve as Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC) and 2) Enhancing key State and regional early care and education networks through expanding the infrastructure of CCHC training. NTI can offer:
- Train the trainer and skill-building sessions for State ECCS coordinators or partners.
- Resources and materials for training CCHCs.
For TA on efforts coordinated with the State Child Care and Development Fund lead agencies, as well as State early childhood contacts and licensing information, contact the National Child Care Information Center:
Phone: 800-616-2242
Web site: http://nccic.org
The National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC), a service of the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (US DHHS), is a national resource that links information and people to complement, enhance, and promote the child care delivery system. NCCIC links parents, providers, policy-makers, researchers, and the public to early care and education information through publications, conference and meeting support, question-and-answer services, technical assistance and training to States, and online resources and tools. In support of State ECCS efforts, NCCIC offers:
- Question-answering services on health, safety, and other early childhood topics.
- An extensive collection of summaries and links to full-text publications on early care and education through the NCCIC Online Library.
- A comprehensive Website including State profiles, contact information for key early childhood offices, and a conference calendar.
- A 50-State licensing database that draws on regulations on child care staffing, the care of children, and facilities.
- Technical Assistance Specialists in each region who provide TA to the State Child Care Administrator upon request.
For information on evidence-based practices related to promoting children’s social and emotional development and preventing challenging behaviors, contact The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning:
Phone: 877-275-3227
Website: http://csefel.uiuc.edu
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is a national center that strives to strengthen the capacity of child care and Head Start programs to improve the social and emotional outcomes of young children. Located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Center is jointly funded by the Head Start and the Child Care Bureaus in the US DHHS and involves faculty and staff from the University of Colorado at Denver, Educational Development Center, Inc., the University of Connecticut, the University of South Florida, and Tennessee Voices for Children. To support children's social-emotional development and prevent challenging behaviors, CSEFEL offers the following products in both English and Spanish:
- What Works Briefs – Summaries of effective practices with practical strategies, references related to each practice, and a 1-page handout that highlights the major points of the Brief.
- Training Modules and materials that promote positive, supportive relationships between teachers and children, as well as with families and other professionals.
For grants information, contact the Maternal and Child Health Bureau:
Information related to overall program issues may be obtained by contacting your Federal Project Officer:
- Regions 1, 2,3, 6, and 9 contact:
Dena Green
dgreen@hrsa.gov
phone: 301-443-9768
- Regions 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10 contact:
Joseph Zogby
jzogby@hrsa.gov
phone: 301-443-4393
Information related to grants management issues (including questions about budgets and Federal grant requirements) may be obtained by contacting your Grants Management contact:
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