REGULAR MEETING of the EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL May 8, 2024, 9:00 A.M. CITY HALL, BOARD AND COMMISSION ROOM #1101 301 WEST SECOND STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Early Childhood Council may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Caitlin Oliver, Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health, at 512-972-6205 or Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Cathy McHorse, Chair Corie Cormie Choquette Hamilton Cynthia McCollum Brianna Menard Casie Schennum Leonor Vargas John Green-Otero, Vice Chair Eliza Gordon Tom Hedrick Andrea McIllwain Alice Navarro Ellana Selig AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on April 16, 2024 APPROVAL OF MINUTES STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Updates from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health (APH), regarding the family-based child care home tour and updates from related early childhood groups 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Updates from Cindy Gamez, APH, regarding the transition of some child care work from APH to the Economic Development Department (EDD) DISCUSSION ITEMS Presentation from Colin Swanson, Executive Director of Mainspring Schools, regarding the services Mainspring plans to provide with the APH Early Childhood RFP funding Presentation by Dr. Choquette Hamilton on the new Success By 6 Coalition (SX6) strategic plan Discuss the federal poverty limit and livability in Austin Discuss federal funding for small businesses Discuss items to take to the Joint Inclusion Committee DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Discussion and vote to approve Quality-of-Life (QoL) Study Workgroup membership Approve a recommendation that the City of Austin endorse the strategies outlined in the white paper by the Children’s Funding Project Workgroup 11. Updates from the Budget Workgroup about the budget workshop on May 7, 2024, with City departments and other boards & commissions on the Joint Inclusion Committee WORKING GROUP UPDATES FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with …
2024-2029 Strategic Plan <<Summary>> Contents: I. II. III. Introduction Strategic Plan Format Pillars A. Healthy Beginnings B. Supported Families C. Quality Care and Education D. Safe and Stimulating Communities IV. Glossary of Terms Introduction At the onset of crafting our next Success by Six Strategic Plan, we made a deliberate choice to infuse every stage of the process with a commitment to racial equity, ensuring that the voices of families in our community were centered. This approach, termed "co-construction," involved the active participation and iterative feedback of the SX6 leadership team, workgroups, coalition members, organizations, and community members over an eighteen-month period. As we journeyed through this process, a shared aspiration emerged: to establish a universal vision for the children in our community. However, confronting the persistent racial disparities within our community, we recognized the imperative to address them directly. Thus, alongside overarching goals tailored to all families in Austin/Travis County, each pillar of our plan incorporates targeted objectives aimed at specific groups disproportionately affected by historical and current inequities. This dual approach not only fosters inclusivity but also accelerates progress towards our overarching vision by strategically targeting areas of greatest need. Strategic Plan Format Each pillar is written in the following format ● Universal Vision Statement: States the ● Community Data ● Targeted Goal Statement ● Strategies 1 Pillar Healthy Beginnings Universal Vision Statement Families feel empowered and have guidance to navigate the medical and mental health systems successfully, and have the resources they need to thrive before, during, and after birth and through the child’s first year of life. Community Data ● In 2022, about 1 in 15 infants (6.6% of live births) was born to a woman receiving late or no prenatal care in Travis County. ○ The rate of late or no prenatal care among births to Black women (8.6%) was about 2 times higher than the rate among White women (2.7%) ○ Black infants (14.2%) were about 2 times as likely as White infants (7.9%) to be born preterm during 2020-2022 (average) ○ Black infants (7.1) were about 2 times as likely as White infants (3.1) to die during the first year of life during 2019-2021 (average). Source: ● March of Dimes, 2024 Targeted Goal Statement Families, especially Black families, families impacted by poverty, and families who possess complex documentation statuses, feel empowered and have guidance to navigate a just medical and mental health system …
EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 8, 2024 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at City Hall, Board & Commission Room #1101, 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair McHorse called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair McHorse, Vice Chair Hamilton, and Members Hedrick, McIllwain, Menard, Navarro, and Vargas Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Members Green-Otero, McCollum, and Schennum Staff in Attendance: Caitlin Oliver, Donna Sundstrom, Cindy Gamez, Rachel Farley, and Alejandra Mireles PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Yael Lawson provided Workforce Solutions (WFS) Capital Area Child Care Department updates. In order to align child care resources with current goals and meet the market and child care demands, WFS has cut three child care positions within the organization. WFS has posted for two new positions, including a senior director position related to early childhood and quality engagement that will be community-focused, as well as a contract manager position to oversee quality improvement projects. Until those positions are filled, Lawson and one other staff member are overseeing the work of the child care department. Laura Olson of Go Austin/Vamos Austin (GAVA) provided public comment on item 10 to endorse the strategies in the white paper by the Children’s Funding Project Workgroup. Olson asked that the ECC endorse the white paper and also expressed concern that the white paper does not EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES acknowledge the groups and people that have contributed to those strategies, including family- based child care providers, parent leaders, BIPOC grassroots organizations, and others. Olson also believes that the “Building Quality & Capacity” strategies are missing Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) child care. Olson expressed a hope that when these strategies are implemented that they seek equity and that the work is informed by people with lived experience. MAY 8, 2024 Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on April 16, 2024 The minutes from the meeting on 4/16/2024 were approved on Member Hedrick’s motion and Member Menard’s second, on a 7-0 vote. There were two abstentions from Members McIllwain and Vargas. APPROVAL OF …
