Collaborating to Serve All Our Kids

The Chicago Department of Public Health's Greater Westside of Chicago Early Childhood Network is one of twelve statewide Early Childhood Networks funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois State Board of Education. The Greater Westside Network is a collaboration of over 50 agencies serving families with children from birth to five years old. The goals of the program are: babies are born healthy, children stay healthy and enter school ready to learn and families get the services they need. Collaborating agencies include the public school system, early intervention, family case management, nutritional programs, social service agencies, children and youth services, hospitals and medical clinics, child protection services and advocacy centers, parent leadership programs, child care centers working along with parents and community leaders. Over the past six years this program has embarked on several paths leading to a healthy early childhood environment that contributes to eliminating racial disparities as well as promoting social justice. There are five specific strategies used to achieve this within the communities served on the Westside of Chicago. These strategies include: -Provider Trainings (specifically customer care with an emphasis on racial/economic equality), -Housing Forums (access to affordable housing opportunities), -Parent Education and Empowerment (Parent University and Parent Board), -Access to Health Services (resource directories, pocket guides, resource fairs) -Coordination of Care (periodic networking with key agencies). This session will review these strategies and the ways in which these efforts to contribute to reducing racial disparities and promote cultural brokering between diverse communities.