SD ECCS Bright Lights Series

The SD ECCS Bright Lights Series will begin this fall and we’re looking for innovative collaborations to highlight. This ongoing video series will showcase the successes and outcomes achieved through collaborative, cross-sector or agency efforts designed to ensure a strong start for children. These short interviews and presentations will be pre-recorded and made available on the SD ECCS project page. Click here to learn more and to submit your collaborative effort to be featured in this series.

SD ECCS Strategic Goals

The South Dakota Early Childhood Comprehensive System Collaborative (SD-ECCS) strives to move from individual to shared responsibility for ensuring a strong start for all South Dakota children.

The following five goals and objectives to strengthen the Early Childhood Comprehensive System of care in South Dakota were established by the ECCS Team and Advisory Board. South Dakota agencies and organizations working to ensure a stronger start for all children are encouraged to consider how the following five ECCS goals and strategic objectives might be incorporated into current or evolving plans and how they are being, or will be, implemented.

If your organization is working collaboratively to ensure a strong start for children, share your work with SD ECCS.

Goal 1: Enhance alignment and collaboration between MCH and other early childhood systems of care.
Goal 2: Advance a common vision for early developmental health and family well-being, and strengthen shared competencies for innovative and efficient service delivery.
Goal 3: Strengthen coordination of intake, screening, referral, and navigation across family and early childhood systems of care.
Goal 4: Increase capacity for meaningful engagement and partnerships with parents.
Goal 5: Identify strategies that support the funding and sustainability of multi-generational services and systems for all children and families.

WIC CIAO Outreach Continues

As one of 36 national WIC Community Innovation and Outreach Project subrecipients, CPCM is coordinating community outreach events, trainings for professionals working with young children, and research to learn from families what might increase their participation and redemption of WIC benefits. Connecting parents to concrete resources can help ensure a strong start for children and increase overall family functioning.

Learn more at https://sdcpcm.com/wic

Training opportunity:
Nov 21 – Cultural Awareness – Relating to Norms
Dec 5 – Cultural Awareness – Understanding Values
Dec 7 – Poverty Simulation Experience

Family voices needed:
We are inviting WIC-eligible families in the Sioux Falls area to provide input about SD WIC. Please forward the anonymous online survey and invite to participate in focus group discussions to families you work with. Focus groups are also now underway in the Sioux Falls-area. The goal is to amplify family voice and to get input on how to make the program work better for South Dakota families.

Visit https://sdcpcm.com/wic-voice-matters for more information.

Transportation now available:
Transportation to WIC appointments and WIC redemption/shopping trips are now available for participants in the Sioux Falls-area. WIC participants needing rides should call 2-1-1 at least 24 hours in advance to arrange.

The State of South Dakota Children’s Well-being: 2023 Report – Early Childhood Basic Needs

Earlier this month, with support from the South Dakota Department of Education, the Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment (CPCM) at the University of South Dakota released The State of South Dakota’s Children’s Wellbeing: 2023 Report.

Along with the full report, data briefs are available that highlight key pieces of data from the full report, including early childhood basic needs.

To view the Early Childhood Basic Needs Data Brief and the complete 2023 Report, visit SDCPCM.com/Data.

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