|
|
Reports and Publications ::
2004 Report
III. Status of the Partnership's 2001 Recommendations
Table of Contents
Background
Child Care/Early Childhood
Parent Education
Community School
Review of School Programs for Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation
Middle School Activity Coordinators
Youth Voice
Teen Space
Assets
Youth Employment and Volunteer Opportunities
Early Intervention Programs
School-Based Mental Health
Awareness Campaign
Background - The Partnership spent its first 18 months as an organization developing a set of recommendations around three goal areas identified by the 1998-1999 Task Force on Youth. The three goal areas are: school readiness and success, activities and opportunities for youth, and health and mental health services for children and their families.
Through a series of work groups, focus groups, and public meetings, the Partnership gathered community input, analyzed current and best practices, and reviewed available data to develop its comprehensive November 2001 recommendations. Developing these recommendations required a significant investment of community resources. Since many of the recommendations will require several years for implementation, the Partnership Board continues to dedicate significant time ensuring that County and School decision makers and community members fully understand the intent of these recommendations and to advocate for and monitor their successful implementation.
Some of the recommendations have been acted upon; others have not. A short description of each recommendation and its current status follows.
Child Care/Early Childhood - In 2001, the Partnership recommended improving the availability and quality of child care and early childhood programs, especially for low-income families. County action on the recommendations has been deferred for several years pending a strategic assessment that was budgeted in 2002 and contracted to Caliber Associates by DHS in 2004. That report is scheduled to be finalized by March 2005. However, we anticipate that the Caliber report will not address the Partnership's budgetary recommendations, because the findings are premised on no new County resources for FY06.
The package of 2001 Partnership recommendations on child care (which remain our recommendations) is summarized below, along with any developments that occurred in 2004. The Partnership's 2001 report has detailed background on each of these.
Increased subsidies. The Partnership recommended increasing funding for subsidies for quality child care for an additional 100 low-income children, and adding one DHS child care eligibility worker to manage this increase.
Status: 112 families are currently on the waiting list for subsidies (February 2005). DHS was able to add 16 additional subsidized slots in FY05 with State funds. Additional eligibility staff have not been needed due to the relatively small number of slots added over the past few years.
Increase income eligibility for subsidies. The Partnership recommended increasing the income level for subsidy eligibility to at least 200% of poverty level.
Status: The eligibility level remains at 185% of poverty level. However, given that 112 families that meet the 185% criteria are currently on the waiting list, there still is unmet need, even at this very low-income level.
Train child care providers, staff, and parents in child development and recognizing developmental
delays. The Partnership has recommended training for DHS child care staff, providers, and parents on recognizing developmental delays and knowing how to link children to services.
Status: 26 licensed providers will be getting their Infant-Toddler Child Development Certificates at Northern Virginia Community College in Spring 2005. Parents have not yet been reached with this kind of training.
Recruiting providers. The Partnership recommended more active recruiting to increase the number of licensed child care providers, possibly through contracts to community-based non-profits.
Status: There were no resources for this in 2004.
Make more space available for early childhood programs. The
Partnership recommended that the County work more proactively with private
organizations and churches to make more center space available.
Status: Renovation of the George Mason Center by Arlington County began in 2004 and is expected to be complete in June 2005. This space will allow for relocation of 208 Head Start participants currently at the Reed School and First Baptist Church at Ballston. A South Arlington location for Head Start is still under discussion as part of the County's expansion of the Arlington Mill Center. Head Start continues to run a classroom at the Langston Brown Community Center, and it reopened a classroom at Hoffman Boston Elementary School in FY05.
Northern Virginia Family Service's (NVFS) Early Head Start Center is fully enrolled at 22 children ages zero to three. With 80 eligible infants and toddlers on the waiting list, NVFS is looking for space to expand the Early Head Start Program. In 2004, St. Thomas More School opened a preschool for 18 four-year-olds and St. Charles School opened a pre-school for 40 four-year-olds. The new private Cherry Blossom Center opened in September 2004 with space for 38 children, ages four months to five years. In 2004, the Alexandria-based Child and Family Network Centers began to plan its expansion into Arlington and will open several classrooms in the fall of 2005 for low-income three-year olds in space provided through AHC, Inc. housing properties.
In 2004, a community work group focusing on the Partnership's community report card emphasized the need for consistent reliable infant care for teen moms who are trying to complete their education. The Partnership advocated for more infant care slots for the teen moms to be provided in the FY05 Glebe Elementary School renovations and future facility expansions/acquisitions by Arlington Public Schools.
Classrooms for at-risk four-year olds: The Partnership supports Arlington Public Schools adding more classrooms for at-risk four-year-olds through the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI).
Status: Three VPI classrooms were added in the 2004-2005 school year, bringing the total to 21 classrooms in 12 schools countywide. The schools are actively collaborating with Head Start, Early Head Start, and the Child and Family Network Centers to plan for a continuum of quality early childhood programs for low-income families of Arlington. The 2003 Schools Early Childhood Plan included the goal of providing access to a pre-school program within APS to all students who qualify for free and reduced lunch (FRE); and whose families desire such a program.
Parent Education - In 2001, the Partnership recommended increasing parent education resources, both within the County and in the community. These recommendations were to be addressed in the strategic assessment contracted to Caliber Associates, but Caliber's recommendations are confined to current resource levels. The Partnership's recommendations relating to parent education and their status are summarized below. (Again, the Partnership's 2001 report has detailed background on each of these.)
Increase DHS Parent Education Program to 3 FTE: The Partnership recommended increasing the DHS Parent Education Program from one FTE to three FTEs, including an administrative position. This would increase the ability of this office to go beyond serving predominantly court-mandated parents. It would also increase DHS's capacity to provide strategic coordination and referrals to the other parenting programs in the community.
Status: In FY04, the Parent Education Coordinator position was split into two half-time positions, allowing for one half-time FTE bilingual coordinator to be hired to complement the work of the current coordinator. However, the bilingual half-time FTE coordinator was on leave for the second half of 2004, and has since resigned. That position will have to be recruited again. Due to limited resources, classes are still offered predominantly to parents who are at risk for abuse, neglect or family violence. There are limited prevention classes for the larger population, including a series of classes offered in FY05 in Spanish at Arlington Mill Community Center funded through LPACAP and community development block grant funds. Also, the limited staffing of this office does not allow for needed outreach and coordination with other parenting initiatives in the community, as recommended by the Partnership.
Increase County support for community-based parenting programs: The Partnership recommended increased County contract funding for a broad spectrum of community-based parenting resources for the full range of families who need it -- from high-functioning to high-risk.
Status: $25,000 in FY05 LPACAP funds are being used to contract additional parenting classes, and $25,000 were given to Project Family for contract services. Otherwise, there were no new resources for community-based parenting programs.
Community School - The Partnership's 2001 recommendations identified the community school model as a promising approach to school readiness and success and to helping children and families access needed services. The Partnership recommended that an Arlington school be designated as a pilot community school in the 2003-2004 school year.
Status: Carlin Springs Elementary School was identified as the initial site for a community school in Summer 2003. The 2004 developments at Carlin Springs Community School are described above in Section I. This is a new model for delivering essential services that has the potential for replication. The Partnership recommends continued focus and support from the County, Schools, and community organizations to meet the identified needs of the Carlin Springs School community.
Review of school programs for conflict resolution/peer
mediation - In 2001, the Partnership recommended that the schools systematically review, with student input, the effectiveness of their peer mediation and other conflict resolution programs.
Status: In 2003, the APS Department of Student Services conducted a review of current peer mediation programs in the schools. This review included student focus groups. Recommendations arising from the review included more training for staff interested in peer mediation, more incentives for staff to serve as faculty sponsors, and providing increased Central Office and financial support for peer mediation efforts. In June 2004, a summer institute on peer mediation was provided for APS staff. The APS Central Office funds individual teams' attendance at the annual peer mediation conference at George Mason University. At this time, additional financial incentives for staff peer mediation sponsors are not in place. The Schools are continuing to review the various activities that are conducted in schools to teach conflict resolution skills and to promote a peaceful school environment.
Middle School Activity Coordinators - In 2001, the Partnership recommended that the Schools and/or County fund half-time activity coordinators in each middle and high school to help connect youth with non-school activities available in the community.
Status: In the 2004-2005 school year, the APS half-time middle school activities coordinators were increased to full-time so that their duties could be expanded to help students connect with non-school as well as school activities. The high school activities coordinators positions (which were already full-time) were not expanded.
Youth Voice - The Partnership recommended that youth-serving organizations solicit youth input in their planning and activities, and consider barriers to youth access, such as affordability, transportation issues, language, and comfort level.
Status: The Partnership's Teen Network, discussed in Section I, gives youth a greater voice in the work of the Partnership and in the community. In May 2004, the Employment Center at the Department of Human Services formed a youth focus group with the goal of ensuring that its youth employment services are meeting the needs of local youth. Among its many contributions, the group has given helpful suggestions for the "Job Spot" newsletter and the 2005 marketing materials for the Teen Expo, and they have assisted in the process of integrating youth employment services into the new Arlington Teen Website currently under development.
Teen Space - The Partnership recommended a feasibility study on the design of one or more teen centers.
Status: The Partnership remains concerned about the continually
expressed need for more space for teens to congregate or "hang out."
In 2004, a few Partnership Board members met with adults from the PTAs, the
Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Resources (PRCR), and the
faith community, and with some teens to again explore the feasibility of
developing a teen center. The group concluded that the capital needed is
beyond what a group of private citizens can offer, and that teen centers
would need to be underwritten by a large funder or by the County or School
system. In 2001, PRCR began a planning process to update the 1994 Open
Space Plan for the County (which was subsequently enlarged to the Public
Spaces Master Plan). The planning involved the citizen Public Spaces
Master Plan Task Force, along with six citizen working groups that looked
at specific areas. Youth who were surveyed in the planning process
indicated a desire for both a designated teen center and teen spaces
throughout the community.
The Public Space Master Plan will guide the County Manager's development of
public recreational spaces. The draft plan, to be finalized in Summer
2005, cites youth and teen programs as the #2 priority (of 12) for the
community at-large and includes both a designated teen center and places
for teens throughout the community. Teen centers or other teen spaces
will be made possible if they emerge as a County Board priority for the
County's Capital Improvement Program.
In addition, current PRCR recreation center renovation projects have
included teen lounges in the design. The Drew, Langston, Carver, Walter
Reed, TJ, Gunston, Arlington Mill, and Madison Community Centers now have
teen rooms/teen lounges.
Assets - The Partnership recommended that a position dedicated to educating the community on the developmental assets be funded.
Status: The position was funded and filled in November 2002. The 2004 accomplishments related to the Assets Initiative are highlighted in Section I. The ongoing efforts to educate the community about assets and make the necessary changes in systems to build assets requires continued focus and resources throughout the community.
Youth Employment and Volunteer Opportunities - The Partnership recommended that the County enhance efforts to promote volunteer opportunities for youth and that the Arlington Employment Center enhance youth employment opportunities.
Status: A full-time position was funded in the DHS Employment Office in FY04 to include coordination of the Teen Summer Expo, as well as year-round employment services for young adults ages 14-21 through the "Job Spot." The 2004 Teen Summer Expo generated 2,268 jobs for its 800 youth participants. In 2004, Arlington's Youth Employment Program reached 675 Arlington youth through a variety of outreach activities. Other special events included Teen Day at the Mall, Election Action, Applications Parties, an Options Fair, and the National Youth Conference, which 15 youth were able to attend under the sponsorship of Arlington Parks and Recreation. In 2004, the "Job Spot" served 233 youth through workshops and one-on-one employment counseling, with 72 young Arlingtonians entering employment. The "Job Spot" now has its own quarterly newsletter, which is distributed in both hard and electronic copy, with plans underway to make it available through the web.
In 2004, the County Volunteer Office launched its new Online Volunteer Connection with links to teen volunteer opportunities and prepared marketing materials that highlighted Arlington area youth/teen volunteer opportunities. The Volunteer Office also launched the Community Role Models initiative to engage 20-to-30-somethings as community role models for youth. A Community Role Models Youth Services Learning Forum was held in September 2004 to engage this group in volunteering with teens and children and to create awareness on the importance of "connecting with kids."
Early Intervention Programs - In its 2001 recommendations, the Partnership recommended that DHS Child and Family Services staff identify the level of FY04 County funding needed to expand and institutionalize early intervention programs, such as mentoring, parenting instruction, and home-visiting for at-risk families with young children, and especially for teen parents.
Status: Again, these recommendations were put on hold, pending the strategic assessment contracted to Caliber Associates. However, the Caliber report recommendations will be based on no new resources.
School-Based Mental Health - The Partnership recommended that the Schools and DHS both increase the level of qualified mental health support available to students, and train school
staff, parents, and students in recognizing and responding to signs of anxiety, depression, or suicide ideation. The results of the Partnership's 2004 YRBS survey of 3,400 Arlington youth further emphasized the need for these services, most notably, because the levels of depression and suicidal thoughts among Arlington youth are significantly higher than the national average.
Status: Beginning in 2003 and continuing in 2004, four DHS mental health therapists were added to work onsite at 11 schools offering mental health assessments, referrals, and therapy to students and families. These mental health staff supplement the mental health staff resources already in the schools.
The Schools have adopted a State-sponsored suicide prevention training program for all staff, known as QPR ("Question, Persuade, Refer"). In 2003, the Partnership and the County Council of PTAs recommended that this training program be adapted for parents, as well. The schools have only two trainers certified to teach QPR and, because their priority is school staff trainings, systematic training for parents has not been possible. In 2004, the Schools did offer training for parents on depression and suicide at the Gifted Services parent conference, through the Special Education Parent Resource Center, and at parent workshops at some of the secondary schools. And, as discussed in Section I above, the Partnership sponsored a one-time parent forum on teen depression in October 2004.
In Fall 2004, the APS Department of Student Services developed health units on the topics of stress management, depression, and suicide prevention to be used in sixth and ninth grade health classes. Training on the use of these materials was offered to secondary health teachers. The plan is that counselors, psychologists, or social workers will co-teach these units with health teachers. The schools will monitor how this training is implemented and received by students. Yorktown High School offers peer training in suicide prevention.
The Partnership believes that there needs to be continued discussion on how to ensure mental health training and support for parents and students in the school communities.
Awareness Campaign - The Partnership recommended that the youth survey data be used to target areas of greatest risk for Arlington youth, and that awareness and prevention campaigns be developed accordingly in FY04.
Status: In late 2001, the Partnership formed a Data Committee to analyze the results of the 2001 Assets and Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. The committee identified eight risk behaviors needing attention in this community. In 2003, the committee recommended that alcohol use by pre-teens be the focus of the first awareness campaign. Accordingly, in 2004, working with Vanguard Services, the Schools, and the Arlington Police, the Partnership developed the "Too Smart to Start" program, which is being incorporated into the health curriculum for fifth graders in all Arlington elementary schools during the 2004-2005 school year. (See Section I.)
|
|
