Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Impact Statement
August 1, 2013 – November 30, 2016
The overarching goal of the South Dakota Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Project (ECCS), a three-year project funded by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), was to mitigate and prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress in the First 1000 days of life using Collective Impact Approaches. The project worked with the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation (SWOLT), in collaboration with the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH). Major goals and objectives included enhancing local and state early childhood systems focused on creating trauma informed systems; promoting education of MCH service providers and community members on the effects of ACES and toxic stress on children and families.
The ECCS project was successful in increasing SWOLT MCH stakeholder communication and engagement through the development of the First 1000 Days Interagency Forum, which began meeting in Year 1 of the project and continues to meet on a monthly basis. Through the evaluation period of August 2016, the group had average attendance from 14-18 persons, representing 10-13 programs. The group developed a formalized a group charter to assist with participation and alignment of goals.
Community and MCH stakeholder education on resilience, ACEs, toxic stress, utilizing Collective Impact Approaches, and maternal substance use was conducted through a variety of methods.
The First 1000 Days Resilience Conference was held in collaboration with SWOLT, Northern Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center (now GPTEC) and the South Dakota Department of Health Rapid City in June of 2015. A large audience of Tribal, State, Federal, and community stakeholders from attended the event across the Great Plains region.
A Trauma Informed Learning Session “We are still here: The impact of Historical Trauma on the Two-Spirit/Native LGBTQ Community” was held in November 2016 in the SWOLT community to Forum participants. “A Balanced Woman for a Balanced Family” was presented by GPTEC in communities across the Great Plains to educate community members on resilience, historical and intergenerational trauma, toxic stress, and ACEs.
Focus groups were held in the SWOLT community to assist with development of culturally sensitive and relevant educational materials on
Resilience and ACEs for American Indian families. A two-page flyer was developed with input from First 1000 Days Interagency Forum members, and was distributed throughout the community and Tribal Communities in South Dakota and Great Plains. A variety of educational materials on resilience, trauma informed care, ACEs, and other topics have been distributed to Tribal Health Directors, Healthy Start sites, MIECHV, and other stakeholders South Dakota and the Great Plains.
Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Program
The purpose of the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Program is to improve the healthy physical, social and emotional development of children during infancy and early childhood by engaging in systems development, integration of maternal and child health (MCH) activities, and increasing access to services to eliminate heath disparities. South Dakota ECCS is utilizing the strategy of preventing and mitigating the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress and trauma in early childhood.
Goals of the ECCS Program include:
- Enhance the state and local early childhood systems currently focused on creating a trauma-informed system, screening for domestic violence and strengthening infant mental health.
- Promote education of MCH providers and communities on the effects of ACEs and toxic stress on children and families.
- Collaborate with MCH providers to define and develop a process for trauma-informed care.