Statewide Directives
Action for Children Commission. In 1991, the Governor created the Action for Children Commission which brought together 30 representatives of the executive branch, legislature, business community, and the children's advocacy community.
Children's Cabinet. The Action for Children Commission created a Children's Cabinet to review programs across agency lines and help develop a common vision for children. The cabinet developed an integrated children's budget as part of the Governor's budget sent to the 1993 Minnesota Legislature. The Cabinet oversees all funding requests for children's services, using its expertise and influence to leverage monies for more comprehensive program planning at local levels.
Legislative Commission on Children, Youth, and Their Families. The Minnesota Legislature created a special Legislative Commission on Children, Youth, and Their Families in 1991. For the first time, Minnesota has bipartisan leadership from both the executive and legislative branches to create a service delivery system for children and families designed around family needs rather than individual program concerns.
The Pew Charitable Trusts and Children's Initiative. In 1992, Minnesota was selected as one of five states to participate in the Stage 2: Development Planning initiative, based on an application by all relevant state agencies, businesses, consumers, legislators, and others. The Initiative calls for states and communities to adopt a new way of working with families, to reshape service delivery systems, and to shift from a crisis-oriented, fragmented, and inadequate approach to one of inclusion and effective supports for all children.
Legislative directives have created initiatives that have cross-agency collaboration as a goal, including the following:
The Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) Program is a universal entitlement available to all families with children from birth to kindergarten. The program educates parents and provides services that involve parents and children in experiences that promote the social, emotional, and physical development of young children and families. This program offers a ready-made structure on which to build other services for young children and families. The concept for Family Resource Centers evolved as part of the ECFE program.
Early Intervention Services. Minnesota has a constellation of early intervention services for prekindergarten children and their families. One statewide system is the Interagency Early Intervention Program for children with disabilities and their families. Families who need special help for children with disabilities receive coordinated and comprehensive services based on the family's need.
School Readiness. Early Childhood Family Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Head Start, and a new Learning Readiness initiative are working together to ensure better outcomes for families and children. As an example, the Learning Readiness program is a continuum of coordinated services for all four year olds based on identified needs.
Legislation
Legislated programs include Interagency Early Intervention (state council and local committees), Way to Grow, Learning Readiness, Early Childhood Family Education, Early Childhood Screening, and Home Visiting Program for Prevention of Abuse and Neglect.
Funding Sources
In addition to the sources mentioned above, funding sources include Foundation grants - e.g., McKnight, Bremer; Even Start; Head Start State Collaboration Grant; The Pew Charitable Trusts Children's Initiatives; and Grants for Family Service at Community Based Collaborations. State collaboration grant funds ($7.7 million) are a major new resource to enable communities to plan or implement a collaboration system.
Implications
State Policymakers
Policymakers must become more familiar with the existing systems, programs, and customers. "Sacred cows" and emotional favorites will need to be examined and evaluated. Trust and risk-taking will be needed in decategorizing some funds for true integration of services. Micro-managing will not be appropriate.
State-Level Agency Heads and Staff
State-level agency heads and staff will need to adopt an interagency approach, become adept at collaborating, provide training in collaboration, and develop position descriptions that incorporate the time and skills necessary for a collaborative system.
Local Agency Staff
Local agency staff need cross-disciplinary training to work more effectively with children and families as well as training in collaboration as the new way of delivering services. Strong leadership will be necessary to assist staff in making this change and assuming local responsibility for most effective use of more flexible funding.
Consumers/Families
Children and families will be able to access services in the form most useful to them. Families with multiple needs will be viewed holistically and their needs will be met with comprehensive, coordinated services. Families will make choices appropriate to their situation and values.
Creating awareness of the mission is a major step.
Constraints
This approach requires more flexible funding and a greater awareness of resources and strategies. Obstacles include program protection by local staff and customers; lack of trust; and difficulty making changes.
State-Level Strategies
Strategies include working with the Pew Children's Initiative to develop integrated services made more easily accessible by universal access family centers; new frontline practices; a new governance system; streamlined information systems; and more effective finance mechanisms.
Future
Creating awareness of the mission is a major step. Implementing in two counties and one large city to demonstrate the potential of this collaboration process will create an incentive for others to get on board.
Posted on March 23, 1995
URL: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/go/93-3mn.htm