SD ECCS July 2025 Update
Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems: ECCS
Ensuring a strong start for all children can reduce vulnerabilities and prevent ACEs, but it requires collaboration and co-ownership of strategies and solutions. This newsletter provides updates on SD ECCS activities and also provide external learning opportunities, resources and news to increase our shared understanding and ability to ensure a strong start for all South Dakota children.
Three-Part Series | Growing Together: Understanding and Supporting Early Childhood Development
SD Early Childhood Comprehensive System is proud to present a three-part online learning series. “Growing Together” Understanding and Supporting Early Childhood Development” will explore the impact of social determinants of health in relation to developmental trajectories; acknowledge the balance of nature and nurture within societal, cultural, and familial contexts; identify how relationships help build neuropathways; practice facilitating and supporting children’s development without limits; and create a plan for engaging families in conversations around their child’s development.
Presented by Dr. Andrew Stremmel, Professor Emeritus, South Dakota State University and Dr. Jennifer Kampmann, SD Birth to Three, the series will take place on July 7, July 14, and July 21.
Find additional details and individual registration links at https://sdcpcm.com/events/eccs-growing-together-series-session-1/.
Touchpoints Series
Check out the upcoming Touchpoints webinars below and be sure to register to join the conversation.
July 8 | 12-1pm CT
Supporting Infants and Toddlers in the Child Welfare System: The Safe Babies Approach
Speakers: Drs. Aiden Bohlander & Mike Sherman, ZERO TO THREE
August 12 | 12-1pm CT
Perinatal Mental Health Disorders, and the Impact on Children Age 0-3
Speakers: Stephanie Hanson, MPH, PMH-C, PhD Candidate and Keri Pappas, MPH, BIRTH-SD-UNITE, South Dakota State University
You can now view the most recent Touchpoints Session at SDCPCM.com/ECCS.
Businesses for Babies
Family-forward workplace policies ARE a primary prevention resource. Family-forward policies benefit the business, families, and South Dakota children. Please join us in recognizing Avera Health, one of our Businesses for Babies!
Is your business for babies? Learn more about the power of family-forward work policies as a primary prevention strategy and nominate a South Dakota business to be featured.
Paid Family Leave Stories
We’d love to hear your story.
Your voice can help shape the future of family-forward policies in South Dakota. We are collecting real stories to show the impact of paid family and medical leave – your story could help drive change.
Visit southdakota.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cATZkTwcl0Wwtls to share your Paid Family and Medical Leave story today!
Other Partner Updates and News
Empowering Families Retreat
Registration is now open for parenting adults to attend a free retreat at the beautiful K Bar S Lodge in Keystone, SD. The retreat is for everyone who is raising children at home—parents, grandparents, guardians, and caregivers of all kinds. Click HERE to see the latest flier. Limited spaces are available, click HERE to register.
SD Parent Connection
SD Parent Connection supports and empowers parents and caregivers to gain the information, skills, and confidence that fosters their development as parent leaders. We also seek to guide parents to opportunities that allow them to use their experience, perspective and knowledge for positive impact.
Please help them evaluate their effectiveness in supporting and empowering parents along their parent leadership journey by completing this very brief survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2T8CYNV
EXTERNAL RESOURCES AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
PN-3 Policy Impact Center
The Prenatal-to-Three Policy Impact Center translates research on the best public investments into state policy actions that produce results for young children and society. Their Clearinghouse is an ongoing inventory of rigorous evidence reviews of the impact of policies and strategies on infants and toddlers and their families, and their website resource page now houses all 51 unique State Roadmap Profiles including overviews and summaries.
National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers
A grantee of the Pritzker Children’s Initiative, the American Heart Association administers the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers (NCIT). Through the NCIT, a national movement is building to educate the public and the policymakers on behalf of the youngest children and their families across issue areas including nutrition and food access, healthcare, early care and education, family economic security and more. Click on the link above to access key tools and resources and sign up to become a free member of the NCIT by clicking here.
Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Applications are now open for Georgetown University’s 9 mo. online certificate program in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC). Open to professionals across disciplines—mental health, education, early intervention, home visiting, Head Start, and more. Learn more and apply here.
Let’s Connect!
If you would like to learn more about the SD ECCS efforts, provide feedback, or share more about your efforts to ensure a strong start for South Dakota’s youngest children, please email [email protected]. Are you working on some of these goals and strategies–or could they be included in your plans and activities? We’d love to learn more, collaborate, and celebrate your work.
