Stories

Aligning Existing Efforts in Prevention Planning in Morris County, NJ

As members of the Safe Start Initiative in Morris County, New Jersey, worked more closely together, they realized they were most effective when member organizations agreed to complete tasks that aligned with their existing activities. In order to strengthen the skills of parents and caregivers, the steering committee had to be realistic about how each member organization’s mandate and funding overlapped with the coalition’s goals. This deeper understanding of member organizations’ priorities enabled the coalition to develop short- and long-term objectives, and a multi-year work plan to guide their efforts and hold member organizations accountable.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-building-community-commitment.pdf

Boston's Approach to Funding Neighborhood Youth Violence Prevention Projects

As an outcome of the initial planning process, each Violence Intervention Program (VIP) neighborhood coalition in Boston submitted a proposal for youth violence prevention projects. A youth development strategy based on the best available evidence was selected and implemented in three VIP neighborhoods. It was designed to help youth gain new skills, hold jobs in local organizations, and develop leadership abilities. In addition to reducing shooting incidents and other forms of community violence, the goal of the strategy is to inspire feelings of opportunity in residents and particularly young people.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/stryve/grantee-profiles#boston

Broad Partnerships to Promote Family-Friendly Workplaces in Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Parental and Family Medical Leave Act was accomplished through a broad partnership that chose to frame the need for paid family leave as an economic issue (i.e., excess costs to businesses when they lose valued employees and have to recruit and retrain new ones, and lost revenue for the state due to women being out of the workforce). The partnership also focuses on paid family leave as a caregiver issue (i.e., not a women’s issue), which affects caregivers of newborns through the elderly.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-BoostYourCompetitiveEdge-508.pdf

Building a Prevention Coalition in Rural Oregon

More than 30 local agencies, organizations, and businesses make up the UP2USNow Child Abuse Prevention Coalition in rural Oregon. Coalition members and partners are influential in the community, and represent the residents of Douglas County. UP2USNow has also made a point to regularly partner with youth to advance its cause. For example, the coalition sponsors the Youth Media Project, which trains students on prevention, messaging, and video production. To raise awareness about preventing child abuse, the young people interview coalition partners and community members about their work, and create public service announcements and videos that are shared online and aired on local television.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-building-community-commitment.pdf

Building Capacity to Select and Implement Prevention in North Carolina

Recognizing the challenges of implementing effective strategies to address child maltreatment at both the state and local levels, North Carolina child maltreatment prevention partners have created an advisory group, The Alliance for Evidence-Based Family Strengthening Programs, to support local communities in the implementation of evidence-based parenting and family support programs. The Alliance currently funds implementation of three evidence-based programs, Nurse-Family Partnership; Incredible Years Program; and the Strengthening Families Program, across the state. However, the primary goal of the Alliance is to provide communities with the staff skills and tools needed to select and implement programs that are both evidence-based and appropriate for community needs. A major component of the group’s work has been the provision of technical assistance and training in communities to build capacity for selection and implementation of prevention programs.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/phl/resource_center_ncarolina.html

Convening North Carolina's Task Force on Child Abuse Prevention

In its work throughout the state, Prevent Child Abuse (PCA) North Carolina had identified obstacles to creating the conditions for children to thrive. To spark a dialogue on overcoming these challenges and on opportunities for policy and systems change, PCA North Carolina recruited an influential ally, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, to co-convene a statewide task force on child abuse prevention. Together with several elected officials, various government agencies, foundations, hospitals, and community-based organizations, they developed an ambitious vision, whereby “Every child is nurtured, supported, and protected within a safe and stable home and community environment.”

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-building-community-commitment.pdf

Creating a Strategic Plan Minneapolis, MN

Tasked with creating a strategic plan to prevent violence, the Minneapolis Youth Violence Prevention Steering Committee began with a commitment to honor all viewpoints. Committee members agreed that partnerships and collaboration were vital to success, and that “a spirit of cooperation, trust and respect will drive our process.” In meetings co-chaired by the mayor, the Committee developed a shared vision by exchanging observations, stories, and expertise.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-building-community-commitment.pdf

Developing a Prevention Vision Statement in Otoe County, NE

To raise awareness about its child abuse prevention initiative, Otoe County in Nebraska developed a compelling vision statement. The partners wanted the vision statement to articulate their goal and be something everyone in the community could support – “Bright futures begin at birth! Every child will receive the nurturing care essential to become compassionate, contributing members of their communities.”

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-building-community-commitment.pdf

Engaging Influential Allies in Breckenridge, MN

The violence prevention collaborative based in Breckenridge, Minnesota, engaged influential allies as one of its first steps. It brought together professionals on the front lines, those who witness how violence affects children, such as social workers, schools, law enforcement, and emergency room staff. These allies had agreed from the outset to “stay open and listen without preconceived notions” and continued to support the initiative after community input called for a shift in the collaborative’s focus. The support of these powerful groups added legitimacy to the initiative and increased referral rates for hard-to-reach families.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-building-community-commitment.pdf

Establishing Connecticut’s Two-Generation Policy

Policy approaches can shape the social environments in which children grow up in ways conducive to better health and well-being. In 2015, Connecticut passed a provision in the state budget establishing what it calls a “two-generational” school readiness and workforce development pilot program to foster family economic self-sufficiency in low-income families. The program delivers early education and workforce services concurrently across generations (i.e., parent and child or caregiver). To oversee the program, the legislation established an interagency workgroup comprised of commissioners of the departments of public health, social services, early childhood, education, housing, transportation, labor, and corrections, as well as the chief court administrator, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, and other business and academic professionals.

Source: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, https://www.astho.org/Prevention/Essentials-for-Childhood-Policy-Guide

Houston's Approach to Collecting Community Data

In addition to using data from local schools and the police to guide its planning, the multi-sector coalition in Houston recognized it needed to hear from the community. Team members went door-to-door, providing residents with access to fresh food and basic health services. They also asked residents about the challenges facing their community—how violence affected them and what they thought could help make their neighborhoods safer and healthier. Youth played a significant role in conducting interviews and voicing solutions.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/stryve/grantee-profiles

Integrating Prevention Science and Community Insight in Portland, OR

The first task of the Portland STRYVE project was to create a forum where the science of prevention could be combined with community insight. “We wanted to create a space where everyone’s expertise was valued, whether that be professional, academic, lived experience, or otherwise,” STRYVE Coordinator Rebecca Stavenjord said. Two part-time community health workers were hired and trained to educate and promote individual and community needs, serve as a liaison between communities and the health care and social service systems, and help make health education and information more accessible to residents. Stavenjord said that community health workers have been crucial in Portland STRYVE’s ability to fully involve community members and under-represented groups in youth violence prevention efforts.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/stryve/grantee-profiles#portland

Oregon's Use of Partnerships to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect

The Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Human Services bring together child fatality review teams from across the state to identify trends and work together on prevention strategies. Many different types of partners work to increase family stability and child safety by integrating mental health and addiction, housing, and employment services and other systems. These joint efforts in Oregon have resulted in:

• A coordinated child fatality data collection and reporting system that uses surveillance data from outside the child welfare system.
• Improved partnerships with drug and alcohol treatment providers and efforts to expand family-based treatment.
• Co-location of domestic violence advocates in the state’s child welfare and self-sufficiency offices. After working with an advocate, clients were more likely to access services provided by the health department’s offices.

Source: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, https://www.astho.org/Prevention/Essentials-for-Childhood-Policy-Guide/

Stakeholder Engagement in Laurel County, KY

The Sheriff of Laurel County, Kentucky, was committed to reducing methamphetamine abuse and raising awareness about the connection between child abuse and drug addiction. He hosted community meetings at unlikely venues, such as fire stations and Elks Lodges, and invited health educators and children’s advocates to travel with him throughout the county. These discussions emphasized that preventing child abuse was a community responsibility, not just the purview of law enforcement, and highlighted the role of neighborhood organizations and the regional medical center in promoting safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-building-community-commitment.pdf

Strengthening the plan to prevent youth violence in Salinas, CA

The Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP) is an existing coalition made up of more than 30 organizations dedicated to gang reduction in Salinas. Through CDC’s STRYVE, public health leaders were able to add their voice to the mix. “We had not really been at the table. …So we had to demonstrate that the public health department had a certain skill set that would be of value,” STRYVE Coordinator Linda McGlone said. Salinas STRYVE offered CASP resources and a step-by-step process to strengthen the coalition’s existing plan, and helped them choose a focus area and strategies based on the best available evidence. CASP now has a framework for planning, pilot testing, evaluating, and sustaining youth violence prevention efforts.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/stryve/grantee-profiles#salinas