Early Childhood Intervention Connections (ECIC)
 

Principal Investigator: Melissa Jonson-Reid, PhD, PI
Funder:   National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Timeframe: . 08/09-05/12
Affiliation: Center for Mental Health Services Research (CMHSR)

Project Staff:   Wendy Auslander, PhD, and David Pollio, PhD, Co-PIs; Brett Drake, PhD, Investigator; Brian McKean, Pilot Coordinator.

 

Participating Organizations:

The Child Day Care Association, St. Louis, Missouri

Jennings School District, St. Louis, Missouri

Riverview Gardens School District, St. Louis, Missouri

First Steps (City and County), St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis City School District, St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis County Special School District, St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis City and County, Children's Division, St. Louis, Missouri

Project Contact: Melissa Jonson-Reid, PhD, (314) 935- 4953, jonsonrd@wustl.edu

 

Project Update as of 08/17/2009

Stage:  Pilot work in progress.  Planning an R-01 grant proposal submission to NICHD.
 

Description:

The Early Childhood Connections (ECC) intervention links young children and caregivers served by child welfare to early childhood development screening, long-term parenting support (Parents as Teachers), quality child care, special education and other needed services.  The study aims (1) To evaluate if ECC (compared to usual care) improves early intervention system access and participation for young children and their caregivers receiving in-home or foster care CW services.  (2) To evaluate if ECC improves child and caregiver outcomes across two years: (2.1) improvement on child development measures, (2.2) decreased rates of re-entry to child welfare service, and (2.3) decreased caregiver depression and increased, parenting attachment, competence, and social support. (3) To identify subgroups in the ECC intervention group that experience more positive outcomes.  This project involves the St. Louis City and St. Louis County Children's Division and was developed based on discussions of findings fro the 'Child Neglect' grant regarding special education with agency stakeholders.  It was designed collaboratively and continues to be guided by a multi-agency advisory group (including Children's Division, Parents as Teachers, Nurses for Newborns, Child Day Care Association, First Steps, St. Louis City and County Early Childhood Special Education (county districts include Jennings, Riverview Gardens and Fergusson/Florissant), state level early childhood representation (previously Doris Halford)).