Transcript
Information + action for social changeThe Early Identification and Intervention Collaborative for Los Angeles CountyJanuary 23rd, 2012
Chris Ringewald, Varouj Symonette & Mine Metitiri
…is an information + action resource that unites rigorous research, community voices and innovative technologies
to solve the root causes of social inequity DIRECT TECHNICAL SUPPORT :
Work ON-THE-GROUND to develop targeted research/policy strategies
and web tools
COMMUNITY RESEARCH LAB
Training community groups to lead and sustain action-oriented research &
technology projects
ONLINE MAPPING TECHNOLOGYwww.HealthyCity.org
Healthy City is a project of…
A public policy change organization rooted in the civil
rights movement
Developmental delays, disabilities, and learning, behavioral and social-emotional problems …[affect] one in every six children across all economic levels, and all racial and ethnic groups.Margaret Dunkle “Improving Developmental Screening Through Public Policy”
This is my wife, Karen. She’s a middle school teacher whose first job was at Mary McLeod Bethune Middle (home of the
Mustangs).
This is her school. It located in ZIP Code 90003, and Los Angeles City Council District
9.
Bethune is a low performing school as measured by academic performance. Mustangs are predominantly Latino, with a number of African Americans.
Nearly all students hail from low-income households eligible for free or reduced price meals; the educational attainment of parents is low.
This is her fake student Johnny. He’s a trouble maker and often goes to detention where teachers make fun of his hair. He distracts others, preventing learning.
Karen doesn’t know whether Johnny’s very-low reading level is due to developmental delays, or stresses at home. Johnny has no IEP, but she does know:
Behavioral and learning problems caused by brain damage from prenatal alcohol exposure are mistakenly thought to be due to stresses in the home environment.
Because Johnny is a boy he is 4 times more likely to be at risk for ASD.
Because Johnny is a minority, he is 2 times less likely to have received an early intervention screenings or services associated with ASD or FASD.
She also knows:
Children in Foster care are at risk for having fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) due to a 70% incidence rate of prenatal alcohol exposure among foster care children.
Johnny is in Foster Care
Karen knows that without intervention Johnny will be at risk to drop out of school, struggle to maintain a job, or enter the criminal justice system.
Johnny is at-Risk
Karen knows that Johnny is not prepared to read at the same level as his classmates. His parents can only help him so much, since their primary language is not English, and neither have a H.S. diploma.
Johnny (a 6th grader) barely reads at a 4th grade level
Mr. Marquez believes that a number of kids may be in Johnny’s position – undiagnosed and falling behind – and wonders about resources in the community they live in.
He knows there are a large number of deficits, like liquor stores in the community. He found 39 within the middle school attendance boundary.
Karen talks with the school counselor, Mr. Marquez (not a real person). He is way too busy to think about Johnny, but searches HealthyCity.org for an organization to screen him.
He knows that many mothers receive late or no prenatal care in Johnny’s ZIP Code, and the teen birth rate is high. In fact it is the 2nd highest out of state Assembly Districts.
But Mr. Marquez also knows there are community resources available.
There are a number of health screening/ diagnostic services in the neighborhood. He will talk to Johnny to learn which to recommend.
TCE has a place-based initiative serving Johnny’s community.(So does F5LA)
So as you can see an undiagnosed disability is not the same in every community. Socioeconomic characteristics, and the availability of services are different in Johnny’s community.
An Johnny is not the only one in his community who may not have been screened.
SummaryYou can weave data into a story to make it more interesting!
You can use detailed information about schools, including test scores.
You can look up neighborhood demographics, and compare them to legislative district or statewide statistics.
You can look up screening services, and coordinate screening training and programs with them.
You can look up place-based initiatives to partner with.
And so much more… Thank you!
Chris Ringewald chris@healthycity.org
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