First Things First Navajo/Apache Regional Partnership Council Bringing Much Needed Early Childhood Services and Supports to Young Children and their Families.
Lakeside, Ariz. (December 19, 2008) How can children between birth and five be best served in the Navajo/Apache Region? That question was not only answered but children will soon benefit from much- needed services and supports so they are afforded opportunities to succeed in school and life.
After conducting the first- ever Needs and Assets Report, the First Things First Navajo/Apache Regional Partnership Council identified areas to create positive change for young children and their families. The ten volunteers who serve on the Regional Council are determining local priorities to address community needs.
“It’s exciting to see the Council’s hard work come together for our local communities’ needs in a creative and innovative way. We are a unique community and our strategies are unique as well. We are going to build a framework that will affect children ages 0 – 5 in a positive way by providing home visiting programs, dental education and varnish, a trained work force and state-of-the-art lab school, among other programs,” says Navajo/Apache Regional Partnership Council Chair, Melissa Webb. That good news means that beginning on July 1, 2009 funding for the following programs, among others, will become available:
Healthy Steps: Healthy Steps represents a significant innovation in the way pediatric primary care can be delivered. Healthy Steps enhances and expands traditional pediatric care by including a child development specialist as part of the pediatric practice team.
Home Visiting: The Navajo/Apache Regional Partnership Council will support the Arizona Parent’s Kit with the addition of a home visiting component available to families who do not qualify for another home visiting program.
Early Childhood Learning Lab/Model School: The goal of this Learning Lab/Model School will be to create a hands-on, on-the-job, training opportunity for early care and education students who are interested in the field.
Professional Development Pathway System for the Early Care and Education Workforce: The Navajo/Apache Regional Partnership Council recognizes that many avenues to high-quality, professional development need to be available to the early care and education workforce at many levels of education. The Navajo/Apache Regional Partnership Council proposes to offer various avenues for child care professionals to advance their knowledge and skill sets.
“ It is critical that infants, toddlers, and preschoolers be given every opportunity to succeed in school and life; this set of funded strategies will begin the foundational work within Southern Navajo and Apache Counties of making those opportunities available to every child in our communities,” says Kate Dobler-Allen, First Things First Regional Coordinator.
“I am hopeful that many agencies, businesses, school districts, community colleges, child care centers and preschools, and other community groups will see the many opportunities that have been made available by the Navajo/Apache Regional Partnership Council, and I am eagerly waiting many successful grant applications,” says Dobler-Allen.
First Things First funds are generated by a statewide 80 cents tax on tobacco products that Arizona voters approved in November 2006 when Proposition 203 was passed. Over $750,000 will be available for services and programming in southern Navajo and Apache counties.
First Things First and the Navajo/Apache Regional Council are in sync with the national movement emphasizing the early years as the best time for investment. Recently the national media ran a story on the importance of investing in early childhood. The media coverage highlighted President-elect Obama’s strategic focus on early childhood education. In these tough economic times, it is more important than ever to invest in children now since the majority of a child’s brain development occurs before the age of five. If they are not prepared for kindergarten, research shows that they will have difficulty in school and not achieve their full potential, and may cost the community in the long run. The Navajo/Apache Regional Partnership Council is focusing on our future workforce, preparing children in this region to compete in a global market place.
To learn more, go to www.azftf.gov
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