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The target population will be children in the Early Childhood Center in Woodward Oklahoma who have been identified/referred from a teacher and observed/assessed by the Mental Health Consultant as needing extra help with social emotional skills. < Back Early Childhood Social Emotional Support Coaches Submission Type: Innovative Ideas Final Rating: Innovative Idea Date Submitted: Spring 2023 Focus Area: Social Emotional Well-Being Focus Population: Children, Teachers, Caregivers, Guardians, Administrators, Parents Contact Information: Carol Stocking Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (580) 808-2010 cstocking@wpyfs.org Western Plains Youth and Family Services 202639 E. Co Rd 42, Woodward, OK 73801 Goals and Outcomes: It is expected that the sustainability of this proposal will be in training early childcare professionals to recognize, regulate, and resource social and emotional disorders. Being able to detect and intervene at an early age is the best defense. It is also expected that by providing SEC services, children will maintain in schools thereby increasing their chance for educational success. Families whether foster, adoptive or biological will build trustworthy and connective relationships. The workforce will be developed by hiring team members that support IECMH and consultive services. The goal of this proposal is to help children maintain in the classroom, empower and support educators, strengthen family involvement, and build connective relationships. It is expected that the quality of the teacher-child relationship will improve, a positive change in caregiver opinion concerning challenging behavior will result as a positive outcome of this proposal. It is also the intent of this proposal to foster and strengthen resiliency within the child by increasing social emotional regulation and decreasing the negative factors that often impair successful outcomes. It is the hopes of Western Plains Youth and Family Services to also bring awareness to the school about social emotional development. We want this to be a standard in any school for children who need extra attention without an IEP or a 504 plan. This plan will decrease a stress on both the school system and the child. Our goal is to hire 3 Social Emotional Coaches who will have training in regulation, development and resources. Statement Of Work: It is the plan and goal of this program to show validity and productivity as well as program enhancement. To do that we plan on using applicable scales, assessments, and data collection tools. Some of the tools that we plan on using include Classroom Strengths, Needs, and Resources, Intervention Plans (that will be reviewed at least monthly or as often as needed), Consultation Stages Checklist, Consultation Evaluation, Consultee Benefits, Goal Attainment Scaling, and a Final Report. Reflective consultation is highly valued in this field; therefore, it will be imperative for the SEC to meet with the Mental Health Consultant every two weeks or more often if needed. Job duties will include: 1. Responsible for creating a pleasant, warm, accepting environment in the delivery of agency services to the public, clients, families, agencies, civic groups and organizations requesting Western Plains Youth and Family Services, Inc. assistance. 2. Identify and support linkages to available community resources and services as needed. 3. Provide day-to-day social emotional support to children with behavior challenges. children include but not limited to being in the classroom with child during educational or elective hours, intervening before/when child is overstimulated or aggressive, helping child regulate emotions through designed interventions by Mental Health Consultant. 4. Work closely with educators in developing relationship based social emotional support plans individualized to meet child’s need and empower the best outcome for school sustainability. At times being asked to help/support educators in implementing social emotional support plans in partnership with Mental Health Consultant. 5. Work closely with School administration, Mental Health Consultant, and other professionals in developing relationship based social emotional support plans. 6. Work closely with families to promote positive communication with the school system and other needed services as well as linking families to supportive services if needed. 7. Be trained in educational paraprofessional, wrap around, aggressive behaviors, and childhood behaviors, Circle of Security, or other relationship-based interventions. 8. Work closely with other supportive services to promote and provide best outcomes. 9. Maintain school behavior assessments and record keeping in a timely manner. 10. Report assessments and records to the program director and Executive Director. 11. Maintain Professional Development training for services. 12. Promote program and program sustainability through advocation and engagement. 13. Completes all documentation in a timely manner. 14. Complete other assignments designated by either program director or Executive Director. Brief Summary: The target population will be children in the Early Childhood Center (Currently 1 Headstart classroom, 8 prekindergarten classrooms, 8 Kindergarten classrooms, 2 special Education classrooms, and 1 early intervention classroom) in Woodward Oklahoma who have been identified/referred from a teacher and observed/assessed by the Mental Health Consultant as needing extra help with social emotional skills. There are 350 students projected for next year in the ECC. Once the child has been identified and assessed, the SEC will begin building a relationship with the child and empowering the child with social emotional skills needed for success. Over the past 2 years, we have observed that children who struggle the most with Social Emotional issues are those who are in DHS custody or those who were socially isolated due to the pandemic. This group of young children cannot be ignored. We have also observed that the children who are in DHS custody and struggle with social emotional issues often have difficulty maintaining in school. We have observed that when the child is asked to leave school, they are often asked to be removed from their foster home. We know this creates another disruption in their life. The SEC will work closely with child, educator, administration, Mental Health Consultant, and foster parents to provide behavioral intervention plans that will reduce if not eliminate school disruptions. The behavioral intervention plan will include assessments and action/safety plans such as the SEC being in the classroom or with the child until the child is emotionally regulated. This plan will also decrease an economic stress on working parents and on the Northwest Oklahoma limited daycare system. When children are asked to leave school due to social emotional dysregulation (which is often the case), the parents often have to leave work and stay at home with their child or find a daycare/person that will take the child so the parent can work. Western Plains Youth & Family Services Previous Next

The goal of this project is to ensure the healthy development and social emotional well-being of young children ages 5 and below throughout Oklahoma through the promotion of the Reach Out and Read (ROR) intervention, designed to foster intentional skill-building in parents, resilience in families, and positive bonding between children and families, integrated into pediatric primary care. < Back Al’s Pals Kids Making Healthy Choices Date Submitted: 09/08/2021 Contact Information: Rachel Myrko Program Manager 405-250-3360 rmyrko@gpccrr.org Great Plains Child Care Resource & Referral 901 South Broadway, Hobart, OK 73651 Rating Category: Promising Research Focus Area: Social Emotional Learning Focus Population: Children, Teachers, Owners, Caregivers, Guardians, Administrators, Parents Goals and Outcomes: Young children need social–emotional learning now more than ever. In addition to common and adverse childhood events that can result in trauma, young children are now also experiencing pandemic related stress. That stress, combined with school and childcare closures, has magnified concerns for children who have experienced trauma, especially our most vulnerable children, and elevated the importance of providing all young children with positive social–emotional skills to prepare for life’s challenges. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the critical foundation required for all other learning and development to occur and is associated with later academic and social functioning. Preschoolers need SEL curricula that is designed to meet their specific needs. Meta-analysis demonstrated that preschool children benefit from SEL interventions in different contexts, particularly those who were identified as being in need of early intervention. Moreover, best practices for preschool SEL interventions may differ from best practices for K–12 students, given the developmental uniqueness of the preschool years. (Murano, Sawyer & Lipnevich, 2020) Teaching Strategies has been committed to social-emotional learning for our youngest learners for more than 40 years. We now also offer a nationally recognized and evidence-based comprehensive social–emotional learning curriculum and professional development program designed to meet the specific needs of preschool children. Al’s Pals™ Kids Making Healthy Choices promotes protective factors, fosters the personal traits of resiliency, encourages the nurturing environments that children need to overcome difficulties and fully develop their talents and capabilities, and helps lessens the effects of adverse childhood events and trauma. Al’s Pals promotes protective factors that have been shown to lessen the long-term effects of trauma by providing young children with skills to prepare for life’s challenges through interactive lessons, engaging puppets, original music, and impactful teaching approaches. Al's Pals also develops teachers who cultivate deeper relationships with children, creates nurturing classrooms, reinforces core concepts at home with families, and fosters positive peer relationships resulting in a network that works together to build resilient children who have a place in their community and the world. Brief Summary of Target Population and Issues/Challenges: Al’s Pals: Kids Making Healthy Choices is a nationally recognized, top-rated, evidence-based and research-informed comprehensive social–emotional learning (SEL) classroom curriculum and professional development program. It promotes resiliency in children ages 3-6 through the development of social–emotional skills, self-control, problem-solving abilities, and healthy decision-making. Al’s Pals promotes protective factors, fosters the personal traits of resiliency, and encourages nurturing environments needed for children to overcome difficulties and fully develop their talents and capabilities. The curriculum helps lessen the effects of adverse childhood events and trauma. The 46 interactive lessons use guided creative play, brainstorming, puppetry, original music, and movement to develop children’s social-emotional competence and life skills. Al’s Pals teaches children how to: Express feelings appropriately; use kind words Care about others Think independently Accept differences; make friends Solve problems peacefully; use self-control Cope Make safe and healthy choices Understand that tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs are not for children Al’s Pals was originally designed for and piloted with preschool children considered to be at risk due to poverty and other factors. The program was initially piloted in Head Start and other community-based child development centers whose populations primarily included Black/African American and White children. Since the initial pilot, the program has been expanded and found to be effective with children of all socioeconomic and racial backgrounds living in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Al’s Pals has been proven to work in preschools, early elementary school grades, after-school programs, and child care centers. Previous Next

< Back Cognitive ToyBox, Inc. Submission Type: Practice-Based Final Rating: Promising Practice Date Submitted: Fall 2022 Focus Area: Healthy Environments and Relationships Focus Population: Teachers, Parents, Family Child Care Providers Contact Information: Tammy Kwan CEO (646) 820-8635 tammy@cognitivetoybox.com Cognitive ToyBox 150 Court St Floor 2, Brooklyn, New York 11201 Goals and Outcomes: For this submission, we aim to support family child care providers and families with better understanding around school readiness through our game-based assessment platform. Cognitive ToyBox helps school administrators, teachers, child care providers, parents and other family members make sure that every child is ready to start school and succeed in life. We do this by making ongoing assessment easy and actionable for early childhood educators. Well-planned and effective assessments inform teaching and program improvement, contributing to better outcomes for children (Snow & Van Hemel, 2008). Currently, the primary method of obtaining information about student progress in early childhood education programs is through teacher-conducted observation-based assessment and evaluation against developmental guides. However, an observation-only assessment approach poses limitations in reliability, validity, and usability. Cognitive ToyBox provides teachers and child care providers with a hybrid game-based and observation-based assessment system. This approach is designed to support teachers and child care providers in spending less time on assessment, while gathering reliable and valid data on an ongoing basis. Cognitive ToyBox is designed to help programs shift from assessment for compliance to assessment for continuous program improvement. Importantly, Cognitive ToyBox also makes assessment accessible for programs, including family child care providers, that traditionally have not been able to incorporate assessment, given its ease of implementation. The aim of Cognitive ToyBox is to give teachers and child care providers more individualized support for children, enabling them to thrive. One strength of Cognitive ToyBox is our experience working with many different types of early childhood programs, including home-based child care, community-based childcare programs, Early Head Start and Head Start programs, and public PreK, TK, and K programs. With this submission, we aim to support family child care providers in OK who are interested in incorporating assessment into their program, but have traditionally not been able to find the right tool to do so. Moreover, with the assessment tool, we aim to strengthen collaboration between parents and family child care providers in supporting school readiness for each child. Brief Summary: Cognitive ToyBox works with school and center-based early childhood education settings, including Oklahoma City Public Schools, on early childhood assessment. With this submission, we are proposing to expand our work to family child care providers (and the families they support) in Oklahoma. Our tools are currently utilized by family child care providers in Texas and Pennsylvania and research has shown that providers can experience a high degree of success in integrating and using our tool (Kwan, 2021). The providers’ adoption of Cognitive ToyBox in these two states has enabled them to improve their QRIS rating, while at the same time provide more information to parents and caregivers about how to support their children with regards to school readiness. Given the positive experience that Oklahoma City Public Schools administrators, teachers and families have had with the product, we are keen to add Oklahoma as the third state to expand our family child care provider offering. We would be eager to work with Oklahoma’s existing infrastructure around Shared Services and their Childcare Resource and Referral services to ensure a smooth roll-out and implementation to their providers. Citation: Kwan, T. (2021). Supporting family child care providers and networks with Cognitive ToyBox. New York, NY: Author. Cognitive ToyBox Previous Next

< Back Community Garden Submission Type: Practice-Based Final Rating: Promising Practice Date Submitted: Spring 2025 Focus Area: Healthy Environments and Relationships Focus Population: Children, Teachers, Parents Contact Information: Samantha Stanely Director (405) 542-5437 cometlearningcenter@gmail.com Comet Learning Center 124 Eagle Rd, Hinton, OK 73047 Goals and Outcomes: Goal 1: Improve access to fresh, healthy food for rural residents that d. • Grow a variety of fruits and vegetables to supply at least 30 families with fresh produce during the growing season. • Establish a weekly produce distribution or farm stand accessible to the community. Goal 2: Promote community engagement and collaboration. • Recruit at least 10 families to participate in garden planning, planting, and maintenance. • Host quarterly community events (e.g., planting days, harvest festivals) to build social connections. Goal 3: Provide educational opportunities on gardening, nutrition, and sustainability. • Offer workshops on topics such as composting, seasonal planting, and healthy cooking. Brief Summary: This project aims to promote healthy environments through the development and maintenance of a community garden that serves as a hub for physical activity, access to fresh produce, and environmental education. The primary population targeted includes residents of our rural neighborhood, particularly low-income families, seniors, and youth who may face limited access to nutritious food options. The initiative also encourages participation from families enrolled in our program, community organizations, and volunteers to foster inclusivity and shared responsibility. Child Care Locator - Provider Details - K830053634 Previous Next

< Back Calm, Aware, Present (C.A.P) Train the Trainer Program Submission Type: Practice-Based Final Rating : Best Practice Focus Area : Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Focus Population : Children, Teachers, Caregivers, Guardians, Administrators, Parents Date Submitted : Fall 2024 Contact Information: Carol LaRue LifeCentrics LLC carol@artofselfhealth.com 913-341-6607 55610 E 315 Rd., Jay, OK 74346 Goals and Outcomes: The over-arching intended outcome of this training is make the C.A.P. Train the Trainer program available throughout Oklahoma. This resource will provide teachers, parents, caregivers, and children with a life- long 'tool box' of practices that can improve personal awareness, self-regulation, relationships, focus, quality of life, vital choices, health, and well-being. A primary goal is to develop and establish a cadre of C.A.P. trainers in several Oklahoma counties- with emphasis on providing training in rural counties with limited resources. This would establish a foundation of trainers and knowledge with the ability to perpetuate continued training through schools, early childhood, and daycare settings. This training will have application for years to come. The developer and selected trainers will provide on-going community support by facilitating monthly 1-hour virtual Zoom meetings to address questions, share answers, and promote collaboration of all individuals trained in the C.A.P. program. The timeline for community support will be determined by the training schedule and needs. The C.A.P. practices taught are 'ageless' and can be applied in most any setting. There is no special equipment required, other than self-awareness and a willingness to apply the techniques taught. Mindfulness practices have long been used and documented to provide mind/body health benefits. Both Trainers and those attending local trainings are encouraged to find and use techniques that best meet their personal and professional preference and situations. A separate C.A.P. Parent and Caregiver Handbook has been written and will be available to Trained Trainers for use in facilitating 1 1/2 hour Parent Training Sessions through PTO's or community organizations. This training is most effective when offered 'in person' due to the 'embodiment' qualities of the practices (learn, practice, see it, feel it). An on-line training course may be an option at some point with some modification to the content. Brief/Executive summary of program: The C.A.P. Train the Trainer Program is designed to train teachers, childcare professionals, foster care professionals, and lead parents in communities throughout Oklahoma, who will then disseminate the training to their peers and those they serve. The training allows for customization of focus and discussion on the stressors that each focus population faces and the impact of their stress responses on the children they are raising and serving. Modifications in the practices of Calm, Aware, and Present are easily modified for teaching children, depending on the age range served. Because young children are keen observers and imitators of the words, behaviors, and actions of their parents, caregivers, and teachers, the practices are easily picked up through exposure to a healthy, and calm environment. The trainings are most effective when introduced in the daycare, head start, pre-K, and kindergarten settings, and to the parents of those children. Specific examples and training in C.A.P. practices can be tailored to all age ranges- birth to early childhood. A detailed 55 page training manual is provided to trained trainers, while an abbreviated training format with a 20 page "Parent and Caregiver Handbook" is provided to parents, caregivers and guardians for easy review and reference. In schools, the training can be formatted to meet Professional Development needs with immediate application of C.A.P. practices for personal stress management, classroom management and effectiveness. The C.A.P. Train the Trainer Program is designed to be delivered in a 1 1/2-day training session regionally throughout Oklahoma, with participant's demonstration of effective teaching and training of C.A.P. practices and successful completion of a Trainer Competency Assessment. The separate C.A.P. Parent and Caregiver Handbook has been written and can be licensed and available to Trained Trainers and/or their affiliated organizations for use in facilitating the 1 1/2 hour Parent Training Sessions through school PTO's or community organizations. Mindfulness | Life Centrics The Art Of Self-health | Grove Previous Next

The overall goal of the proposed work is to improve the social emotional development of young children in Oklahoma in any licensed childcare program. < Back Pyramid Model Date Submitted: 09/08/2021 Contact Information: Paula A. Brown Head Start Collaboration Office Director (405) 949-1495 headstart@okacaa.org Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies 605 Centennial Blvd., Edmond, OK 73013 Rating Category: Well-Supported by Research Focus Area: Social Emotional Learning Focus Population: Children, Teachers, Owners, Caregivers, Guardians, Administrators, Parents Goals and Outcomes: The overall goal of the proposed work is to improve the social emotional development of young children in Oklahoma in any licensed childcare program. We will reach this goal by ensuring Oklahoma early childhood practitioners, in partnership with families, have the knowledge, skills, disposition and supports, based on Pyramid Model practices, to nurture infants and young children’s social emotional well-being within their family, culture, and community. We will use a cohesive, effective approach to promoting young children’s social emotional development, addressing the needs of young children with challenging behaviors and special needs in an integrated model of tiered support that aligns with social and person skills concept area of Oklahoma’s early learning guidelines. For this project, the Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies, in partnership with the Pyramid Model Consortium and the Oklahoma Pyramid Model State Leadership Team, will address six objectives: Enhancing the capacity of the early childhood workforce to adopt the Pyramid Model; Increasing the number of high-quality Pyramid Model trainers and coaches; Developing a high-fidelity program-wide/community-wide implementation sites; Partnering with families to enhance skills and strategies to support their children; Increasing children’s pro-social skills and reducing challenging behavior; Preventing and severely limiting expulsion and suspension in early childhood settings. The Pyramid Model is a conceptual framework of evidence-based practices for promoting young children’s social and emotional competence and for preventing and addressing challenging behavior. It was developed 20 years ago with funding from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human and of Education, with an extensive research base on its efficacy and its implementation (using Implementation Science). The work will provide training, support and technical assistance, integrated with existing state initiatives (e.g., Project Hope work, trauma informed care) to ensure its success in Oklahoma. The proposal builds on Oklahoma’s Pyramid Model work already underway. The state created a cross-sector State Leadership Team to implement the Pyramid Model through professional development, local implementation sites, and a plan to evaluate the work. Our target population is children and families served by licensed childcare facilities in Oklahoma, including centers, Head Start/EHS, and family child care homes. Brief Summary of target population and issues/challenges: In targeting licensed child care, we will identify and recruit implementation sites from these facilities with a priority on those serving economically disenfranchised or historically marginalized communities. Young children’s behavioral health is a critical aspect of development and strongly associated with school readiness. The proposed work will address social emotional needs of young children by helping children develop skills to manage emotions and create strong relationships with adults and peers, skills highlighted in Oklahoma’s Early Learning Guidelines. But some children struggle. Up to 15% of preschoolers have behavior problems; percentages are higher for children living in poverty or with disabilities. Implicit bias in some settings lead to a disproportionate number of children of color, specifically black boys, being expelled or suspended. Our approach to address social emotional needs of young children is based on the Pyramid Model because it represents a compelling research-based approach to promote social emotional competence in young children. It includes practices that address cultural factors influencing social emotional development and support diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. These practices, identified through a systematic review of the research, align to the model’s three levels creating a multi-tiered system of support. The Pyramid Model provides a program-wide/community-wide approach. Using a concrete implementation process, informed by Implementation Science (their lead researcher called the Pyramid Model among the best examples of implementation), targeted child care licensed facilities will develop the capacity to train and coach staff to fidelity on the practices and measure their implementation and outcomes to assure success. Our confidence in this approach is based on 20 years of work, preparing 35,000 trainers and 15,000 coaches, training 750,000 providers, and reaching over 5 million children. The work has been replicated, sustained, and scaled up across every kind of early childhood setting, in 35 states and 50 countries. Previous Next

Twelve percent of Oklahoma children live with parents with less than a high school diploma, and Medicaid pays for nearly 60% of births. < Back Early Birds Childcare Collaborations Submission Type: Innovative Ideas Final Rating: Innovative Idea Date Submitted: Spring 2022 Focus Area: Child Development Focus Population: Children, Teachers, Owners, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents Contact Information: Sarah England Grants Director 405-609-8994 SEngland@SunbeamFamilyServices.org Sunbeam Family Services, Inc. 1100 NW 14th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 (Previously Smart Start Central Oklahoma) Goals and Outcomes: Smart Start Central Oklahoma’s primary goal is to build a supportive and involved community that works to ensure children are safe, healthy, eager to learn, and ready to succeed by the time they enter school. We work to advance this goal through our mission to equip parents and caregivers to serve as a child’s first and most influential teacher. The focus of our programming is to boost school-readiness skills of children under five. Our clearinghouse submission has three intended outcomes. First, we will get more quality learning materials in the hands of more children. Kids learn by doing, and the quality of toys available to them matter. Toys that build hand-eye coordination, boost literacy and numeracy skills, and teach basic concepts are best for cognitive development. Unfortunately, these toys are usually more expensive to obtain and thus out of reach financially for many families. Smart Start believes that all children deserve the same opportunities no matter their socio-economic status. Our clearinghouse submission will introduce these quality materials into more childcare facilities around the state. Second, we will enhance the quality of childcare available to families by training providers in our Early Birds educational program. Smart Start believes that parents are a child’s first and most influential teacher, but we realize most parents require childcare in order to provide a quality life for their families. Our clearinghouse submission will train childcare providers to incorporate learning opportunities into their facilities thereby equipping children with the skills they need to succeed in kindergarten. This train the trainer approach will allow providers to teach Early Birds curriculum to parents reinforcing the lessons and placing quality learning materials in the family home. Third, we will improve the school readiness of children under five in the state of Oklahoma. Smart Start’s Early Birds program effectively prepares children for school. In fact, 93% of children enrolled in Oklahoma City Public Schools that had a parent attend just one Early Birds class achieved kindergarten benchmarks compared with peers that did not have a parent enrolled in Early Birds. We believe our program can boost the school readiness of children throughout our state. Brief Summary: Twelve percent of Oklahoma children live with parents with less than a high school diploma, and Medicaid pays for nearly 60% of births. A quarter of all children under age five are living in poverty. Smart Start Central Oklahoma believes that all parents want to do what’s best for their children; however, when dealing with the challenges and stresses of poverty and low education, parents may be unequipped and/or unaware of the vital role they play as their child’s first and most influential teacher. Research shows that children are more likely to succeed in learning when their caregivers actively encourage them. All families need support to help their children thrive. Childcare providers also need training and support to create an encouraging and nurturing environment for the children in their care. There is a strong connection between early childhood experiences and the level of success that the child achieves later in life. A child who enters school without a strong foundation runs a significant risk of starting and staying behind. Investment in the early years saves money in the future and strengthens our community’s future economic position. When kids enter school ready to learn, it reduces remediation costs, teen pregnancy, job training costs, public assistance, and crime rates. In contrast, school readiness increases graduation rates, workforce readiness, job productivity, community engagement, and lifetime income. Smart Start relies on fundraising through grants, corporations and individuals to provide our signature Early Birds program free of charge for parents and caregivers of children from birth to age five. This grant will provide Early Birds training and learning materials for childcare providers, who can then opt to provide the program to the families in their centers. Early Birds builds on parents and caregivers’ existing strengths and arms them with the knowledge and resources they need to ensure their children start school prepared to succeed. Although the majority of Smart Start families are low-income, we do not have program eligibility requirements. We have seen that programs work best when caregivers from diverse backgrounds can come together and share their experiences. This grant provides an opportunity to strengthen the partnership between the childcare provider and the parents and families of the children in their care to help both feel supported and well equipped to support the child’s development. Early Birds - Parenting Program Previous Next

Rooted Together: A Cultural Guide for Families of Indigenous Children is a toolkit designed to help non-Native parents and caregivers raise Indigenous children in a culturally respectful and supportive environment. < Back Rooted Together: A Cultural Guide for Families of Indigenous Children Submission Type: Innovative Idea Final Rating: Innovative Idea Date Submitted: Spring 2025 Focus Area: Healthy Environments and Relationships Focus Population: Children, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents Contact Information: Kelly Tidwell President (918) 808-4934 info@catalystnews.io Catalyst News 518 W Pittsburg Pl, Broken Arrow, OK 74012 Goals and Outcomes: The goals of Rooted Together: A Cultural Guide for Families of Indigenous Children are: 1. To provide non-Native parents and caregivers with tools to understand and integrate Native cultural practices and traditions into daily life. 2. To foster stronger connections between Native children and their cultural heritage, helping them grow up with a sense of pride, belonging, and identity. 3. To support healthy, culturally informed environments that contribute to the well-being and development of Native children. 4. To create a scalable toolkit model that can be adapted by other tribes, enabling the replication of this project across different Native communities. Brief Summary: Rooted Together: A Cultural Guide for Families of Indigenous Children is a toolkit designed to help non-Native parents and caregivers raise Indigenous children in a culturally respectful and supportive environment. The toolkit will be developed in partnership with Muscogee Nation Child and Family Services and the Muscogee Nation Cultural Department. It will provide practical guidance, resources, and best practices for fostering a culturally rich upbringing that honors the traditions and values of Native communities. Additionally, this project will serve as a model for other tribes to develop their own culturally specific toolkits. Catalyst News Previous Next

< Back Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services for Northwest Oklahoma Submission Type: Practice-Based Final Rating: Promising Practice Date Submitted: Spring 2022 Focus Area: Child Development Focus Population: Children, Teachers, Caregivers, Guardians, Administrators, Parents Contact Information: Carol Stocking Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (580) 808-2010 cstocking@wpyfs.org Western Plains Youth and Family Services 202639 E. Co Rd 42, Woodward, OK 73801 Goals and Outcomes: Western Plains Youth and Family Services proposes that evidenced based trained Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consults will be provided to Early Childhood Centers, HeadStarts, Schools and Daycare facilities. In addition to supporting the education and childcare centers, the IEMHC will also provide helpful and imperative services to the child welfare system by supporting foster families or helping to maintain the family unit. The IEMHC has developed an eclectic approach to care and coordination of services. We provide services that address the following areas of concern: • Child behavior & social emotional issues • Supporting children and families during the COVID-19 crisis • Teacher, Director, support staff & Parent support • Aid in managing classroom issues. • General stress and coping strategies • And other concerns related to caring for young children. In addition to offering the above listed services, it is the intent to also provide professional development to teachers and other early childhood professional by Western Plains Youth and Family team members trained in IECMH. Topics of such professional development trainings include issues of temperament, attachment and relationships, positive interaction and classroom behavior, school readiness, social and emotional disorders, supporting families, behavioral regulation, and identification of services needed. We will also implement the evidence-based training of Circle of Security to help foster and strengthen family connections and positive relationships. Currently Western Plains Youth and Family Services has two trained Mental Health Consultants who are Licensed Therapist. These two individuals have experience in providing MHC services to Headstarts in Woodward and surrounding areas. One of the individuals is a Registered Play Therapist who is also trained in Child-Parent Psychotherapy and the other therapist is working towards Play Therapy training as well. Both are trained in the DC 0-5, Circle of Security and both plan on becoming IECMH specialist. We have also collaborated with several Universities, including Northwestern Oklahoma State University, in promoting IECMH specialist through practicum/internship placements. IECMH consultants are also supported by Amy Chlouber with Sunbeam Services as a Reflective Consultant for IECMH services. Brief Summary: Western Plains Youth and Family Services is writing this letter to propose a solution to a recurring problem in the early childcare centers such as the Early Education Center, Headstarts, Schools and Daycares in Woodward and surrounding counties. The recurring problem is that more and more children are experiencing traumatic events at earlier age. The experiences/events have negatively impacted almost every aspect of life for young children. The educational system, childcare system as well as early Child Welfare system often struggle with supporting children and families with appropriate resources that empowers resiliency and strong relationships. The intent of this proposal is to offer evidenced based interventions and resources that supports educators, childcare professionals, Child Welfare professionals and families that are involved with the child every day. The intent of this proposal is to continue and expand this effective program with the goal of strengthening families, preventing DHS involvement/family disruption, monitoring program effectiveness, maintaining school placement and building resiliency in young children. Western Plains Youth & Family Services Previous Next

< Back Lilyfield – TBRI and Trauma Informed Classrooms Date Submitted: Summer 2023 Contact information: Holly Towers, htowers@lilyfield.org Focus population: Teachers, Children, Caregivers, Guardians Goals and outcomes: Support 30 early childhood classrooms through assessment and consultation services, either on site or virtual and provide tangible resources for implementation of the TBRI Classrooms curriculum. Train 45 early childhood staff in the TBRI and Trauma Informed Classrooms Curriculum Provide ongoing group consultation calls weekly to support implementation in classrooms Provide the option for up to 5 individualized consultation visits for each center Train 15 caregivers whose children attend supported centers in the TBRI caregiver curriculum. Increase knowledge of TBRI and trauma-informed classrooms in 75% of participants as evidenced by pre-and post-tests at training. Increase hope as measured by the Hope Scale in 60% of staff who participate in the consultation process. Brief/executive summary of program Childcare providers can self-refer for a classroom consultation when they have an at-risk child who is struggling in their center. Mental Health Consultants conduct a site visit and assessment to provide ideas and recommendations to childcare centers on how to implement TBRI in their classrooms. Centers who participate receive an incentive at the time they begin the program and at the conclusion of their participation in the program. Following the initial assessment, MHMR provides ongoing consultation to the center, at intervals determined by both the consultants and the center. MHMR also provides structured training opportunities for center staff to learn more about the TBRI principles in a training setting. This project brings Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Trauma Informed Classrooms to licensed childcare centers that serve foster children ages 0-8 years old throughout the state. The TBRI for classrooms training is designed to equip educators to help children from backgrounds of abuse, neglect, and/or trauma by disarming fear, optimizing learning, and facilitating healing for vulnerable children in the classroom. The project brings a combination of training, consultation, and implementation support to any licensed center or home day care that provides care to children who are currently in state custody, are in a safety plan through Family Centered Services, or have been reunified with a biological parent within the past 12 months and are currently experiencing behavioral difficulty in the center. Previous Next

< Back Growing Like a Read Date Submitted: 04/2022 Contact Information: Librarian/Selector Meghan Hollingsworth 405-801-4580 mhollingsworth@pioneerlibrarysystem.org Pioneer Library System, 300 Norman Center Ct. Norman, Oklahoma 73072 Rating Category: Best Practice Focus Area: Child Development Focus Population: Children, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents Goals and Outcomes: The Pioneer Library System’s GLAR project has reached approximately 10,000 families since it began in 2009. Currently, families receive a pre-literacy kit at library story times or when PLS partners with local health departments, WIC programs, and Head Start programs. Materials in the kit are available in English or Spanish, with each kit costing approximately $15. With financial support, the program could be extended even further beyond the walls of the libraries to childcare providers in low-income areas of the PLS three-county service area. There are opportunities to connect with home childcare places and underserved locations. By utilizing the PLS data analysis tools and metrics, PLS could strategically identify at-risk populations such as households below the poverty level and areas with children ages 0-9 years. For example, the Blanchard area has a high number of children ages 0-9 years, meaning there are opportunities for growth and community partnerships in this area for early literacy support. Norman and Shawnee communities have the highest percentage of households below the poverty level and therefore have a high need for early childhood development resources. With additional funding, PLS could also reach out to expecting families in birth classes offered through the health department to inform families about the importance of family engagement in language and literacy development at all stages of a child’s development. Brief Summary: Pioneer Library System, founded in 1958, is a multi-county system in Oklahoma serving Cleveland, Pottawatomie, and McClain counties. The system includes 12 full-service library branches as well as several information stations and community collections throughout surrounding communities. The Pioneer library system has a mobile STEAM education lab called the Maker Mobile that visits communities throughout the PLS service area to provide science, technology, engineering, art, and math programs for all ages. The mission of the library system is to inspire innovation, engagement, and learning in the communities PLS serves. The Pioneer Library System (PLS) has developed the Growing Like a Read (GLAR) project to promote language and literacy development and support caregiver education and engagement. Children and caregivers who participate in PLS story times or attend an event with a community partner may receive a pre-literacy kit which includes: a library bag, a stand-up book with age appropriate songs and rhymes, activity logs to reinforce literacy skills at home and on the go, and a board book for reading together. PLS staff model the six pre-reading skills identified by GLAR in story times and programs and provide tips to incorporate these in daily activities. The six pre-reading skills are letter knowledge, narrative skills, phonological awareness, print awareness, print motivation, and vocabulary. These six skills connect to the American Library Association’s five practices for Every Child Ready to Read: reading, singing, talking, playing, and writing. PLS recognizes the parent or caregiver as a child’s first teacher and seeks to provide tools for continued learning and caregiver engagement. The outcome of providing these resources to families is increased literacy practices in homes and an increased awareness of the impact of early literacy on child development and success in school and beyond. Growing Like a Read | Pioneer Library System Previous Next

< Back Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Program Submission Type: Practice-Based Final Rating: Best Practice Date Submitted: Spring 2022 Focus Area: Child Development Focus Population: Children, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents Contact Information: Elizabeth Bard, Ph.D. Associate Professor (405) 271-5700 Elzabeth-Bard@ouhsc.edu Oklahoma University Health Science Center (OUHSC) Child Study Center 1100 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73117 Goals and Outcomes: The Child Study Center (CSC) has played a valuable role in supporting the Oklahoma Department of Human Services’ (OKDHS) and Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ (OKDMHSAS) statewide efforts for prevention and early intervention of early childhood. The goals of this submission are to support funding to develop and enhance a specialized program for assessment and treatment in early child development to identify early needs. The outcomes include: 1) early identification of children at risk, 2) prevention and intervention for children impacted by adverse childhood events, 3) facilitate family bonding and attachment with direct caregiver involvement that better serves the caregiver and the development of the child, 4) reduce long-term behavioral and emotional risks as children develop into school age years, and 5) increase placement stability. Without funding support, children zero through six will lose access to early intervention services at CSC. This program will support multiple providers who received specialized training in assessment and intervention services for children who are at risk for developing social, emotional, and/or behavioral problems. Services offered have been specifically developed to serve children who have been impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) (i.e., substance abuse in the home, child abuse/neglect, change in placement, parental mental illness, and domestic violence) and their families. Early intervention with evidence-based treatments (EBT’s) is highly regarded as “the Gold Standard” to strengthen the family system and provide actionable skill sets for the caregivers. With early intervention, research shows, children are better equipped to be successful in early childhood settings and their overall development can be enhanced. This program incorporates assessment, intervention options, intensive case management, and specialized supervision of providers. Children impacted by ACE’s are at an increased risk for challenging behavior, difficulty with attachment, and struggle with regulating their emotions. In addition, as children age, there may be negative impacts surrounding academic performance, relationship challenges, and an increased risk for mental health concerns. Therefore, providing infant mental health assessments is crucial to quickly determine a need for early intervention for families impacted by ACE’s. Brief Summary: The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Program will serve the child welfare population ages zero to age six. The clinic will focus on early identification, prevention and intervention for children and their caregivers (biological and foster) who are involved in child welfare. The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Program will conduct comprehensive developmental assessments to evaluate cognitive, language, motor, social and emotional, and attachment for children ages zero to six who are involved in child welfare. This is to discern early intervention needs and to identify and implement best practices that support early child development. Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics for Children in Oklahoma | Okahoma Children's Hospital OU Health Previous Next

The overall goals of this project are to investigate the efficacy, implementation, and cost effectiveness of using two air disinfection solutions in ECE classrooms: (1) indoor air purifier, and/or (2) upper air disinfection utilizing germicidal ultraviolet light (UV-C). < Back Air Quality in Oklahoma Early Childhood Settings Date Submitted: April 18, 2023 Contact information: Dr. Diane Horm Focus population: Teachers, Children Goals and outcomes: The results of our work will provide information about what is necessary for teachers and ECE centers to use the air systems successfully, the anticipated impact in terms of measured air quality, associated teachers and child outcomes in a number of developmental areas (health/absences for teachers and health/absences and behavior and attention for children), and documented costs. Brief/executive summary of program: The purpose of this project is to investigate the potential of a relatively low-cost and low-burden intervention (use of air disinfection in ECE classrooms) to have the high impact result of improving indoor air quality which should, in turn, improve the health of teachers and the young children in their classrooms. Their improved health should lead to fewer absences by teachers and children and thus enable their full engagement in the ECE classrooms. The overall goals of this project are to investigate the efficacy, implementation, and cost effectiveness of using two air disinfection solutions in ECE classrooms: (1) indoor air purifier, and/or (2) upper air disinfection utilizing germicidal ultraviolet light (UV-C). We will investigate the acceptability of use of these devices in ECE classrooms by teachers and administrators and if the reliable use of air disinfection devices improves the classroom air quality and results in positive impacts on the health of teachers and children (e.g., less absence by children and teachers). Potential impacts on children’s behavior and attention will also be explored. Previous Next

The Clearinghouse focuses on all early childhood care and education services, no matter the setting. Our approach is inclusive and comprehensive to encompass center-based care, home-based care, family, friend and neighbor care, as well as programs like Head Start, Pre-K and school-aged care. Our Approach The Clearinghouse focuses on all early childhood care and education services, no matter the setting. Our comprehensive approach encompasses center-based care, home-based care, family, friend and neighbor care, as well as programs like Head Start, Pre-K and school-aged care. The approach allows the Clearinghouse to be positioned as an invaluable resource for identifying programs that can be advanced through Clearinghouse Implementation Grants and/or funding from other sources such as the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five. By blending and braiding funding sources, OPSR has been able to extend the reach of previous Clearinghouse projects such as Reach Out & Read and Al's Pals training across the state to improve outcomes for even more children. Research Based Early childhood programs and services which include study outcomes published in peer-reviewed journals. LEARN MORE Practice Based Early childhood programs and services driven by industry wisdom, organizations, practice, or other consensus approaches that do not necessarily include systemic use of research evidence. LEARN MORE Innovative Ideas Novel early childhood ideas that describe a plan or possible course of action but have not been put into practice or backed by research. LEARN MORE STILL NOT SURE ABOUT US? FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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< Back Outdoor Education at St. Luke's Children's Center (Downtown) Submission Type: Practice-Based Final Rating: Promising Practice Date Submitted: Spring 2022 Focus Area: Child Development Focus Population: Children, Teachers Contact Information: Mandi Coleman St. Luke’s Children’s Center Director (405) 232-2391 mcoleman@stlukesokc.org St. Luke’s Children’s Center 222 NW 15th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73103 Goals and Outcomes: The downtown St. Luke’s Children’s Center seeks to cultivate a fully functioning outdoor classroom for the organization’s three outdoor spaces; these areas would provide infants, toddlers, and children up to 10 years of age access to equipment that would be developmentally appropriate for all ages. Installed equipment would consist of an art area, dramatic play area, seating/gathering area, natural dirt exploration area, planting (rolling live garden), sensory exploration area, swings, gross motor climbing toys, storage areas and an added water source. These structures would provide outside education or environmental education extension that would enhance active play, loose parts play, encourage connection to nature and the environment, assist in the development of cause and effect thinking along with interpersonal activities, social emotional regulation, and support of holistic development for children and teachers. The downtown St. Luke’s Children’s Center playgrounds were replaced in 2015; at that time, the leadership team was intentional about modernizing the equipment, upgrading safety, and creating a fun and engaging play space. However, while the playground provides safe equipment that promotes active play, the next step is to improve upon what is already in place by adding more outdoor education components that encourage curiosity, reasoning, peer engagement and the use of motor skills. For instance, the installation of a garden will give our teachers the opportunity to engage children in the plant to produce process, giving young minds access to cause and effect thinking regarding the growing and cultivation process. The outdoor classroom will provide gross and fine motor skills development opportunities and provide a variety of culturally diverse foods; enabling our instructors to expand their curriculum. The proposed equipment would be added along with a curriculum aid, from Kaplan, Rainbow Fleet Resource and Referral and community partnership with Oklahoma City University professors that would aid teachers in acquiring and utilizing a broader spectrum of resources for holistic and child driven experiences. The goals for our outdoor environmental education classroom will be that children will engage in direct interaction with the outdoors after installation and construction. After installation and training, teachers will work to foster engagement in learning though difference environmental elements, promote active play and healthy lifestyle, stimulate gross and fine motor development during daily time spent in the proposed space. Teachers will utilize the garden within the first growing year, to expose children to new foods and produce process. Children will assist in leading group projects that use the outdoor environmental learning space. During these times teachers will introduce self-awareness and regulation strategies, along with selfconfidence boosting activities within the first year of use after installation. During the first three years, currently employed teachers will attend training both locally and online to support the use and development of these goals. Teachers that are newly hired will attend the training within 90 days of hire. Brief Summary: Outdoor play is critical to child development from birth. Connecting to the world outside is imperative to the development of motor skills, self-confidence and curiosity. Access to playground equipment to engages children helps spark creativity and increases dopamine in the brain through physical activity and imagination. An outdoor classroom will allow St. Luke's to offer more opportunities for children to explore the natural environment around them while learning key concepts about food sources through an outdoor rolling garden. Time spent outdoors and away from screens is key to early childhood development and sets young minds and bodies up for a healthier life from the beginning. The outdoor classroom is targeted at children enrolled in the children's center ages 1-10. Training and materials for utilizing the outdoor classroom equipment will be provided for teachers. It is our hope that by installing this equipment, we can provide additional tools for teachers that will help children use their energy in a constructive and healthy manner while adding opportunities for learning! St. Luke’s Children’s Center – St. Luke's Previous Next

Innovative Ideas Novel early childhood ideas that describe a plan or possible course of action but have not been put into practice or backed by research. Filter by Rating Category Select Rating Category Filter by Focus Area Select Focus Area Filter by Focus Population Select Focus Population Filter by Submission Year Select Submission Year Search by keyword Innovative Idea Community of Support for Early Childhood Communities The primary outcome for this submission is to increase support for early childhood communities in the area of autism and related disabilities by creating a statewide community of specially trained providers. The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) will use the Training of Trainers Model to achieve this goal, recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2019). Read More Innovative Idea Early Learning Works The goal of Next Gen Tulsa FCC is to increase access to quality home-based child care for young children in Tulsa. Read More Innovative Idea Children's Sanctuary at Palomar, Oklahoma City's Family Justice Center Palomar has a tremendous goal: to unify all possible services a victim and their children may need and make them easily accessible by housing them in one convenient location. Read More Innovative Idea Early Birds for Child Care Professionals, Smart Start Central Oklahoma Smart Start Central Oklahoma’s primary goal is to build a supportive and involved community that works to ensure children are safe, healthy, eager to learn, and ready to succeed by the time they enter school. Read More Innovative Idea Deaf Mentor Program: Deaf Adult to Family Connection To increase visual language skills of young deaf children and their families, and establish meaningful relationships between families and Deaf adult role models across the state of Oklahoma. Read More Innovative Idea Rooted Together: A Cultural Guide for Families of Indigenous Children Rooted Together: A Cultural Guide for Families of Indigenous Children is a toolkit designed to help non-Native parents and caregivers raise Indigenous children in a culturally respectful and supportive environment. Read More Innovative Idea Early Birds Childcare Collaborations Twelve percent of Oklahoma children live with parents with less than a high school diploma, and Medicaid pays for nearly 60% of births. Read More Innovative Idea Air Quality and Filtration in Early Childhood Settings This project will involve two groups: Teachers and the children enrolled in their ECE classrooms. Although child outcomes are ultimately our interest, the successful use of air filters to improve ECE classroom air quality is dependent on the teachers who run those classrooms. Read More Innovative Idea OKAEYC – Respectful Caregiving This submission seeks funding for a series of workshops titled "Respectful Caregiving.” In these workshops, our instructors will introduce caregivers to the principles of respectful caregiving, an essential philosophy and approach that fosters secure and respectful relationships between caregivers and children. Read More Innovative Idea Early Childhood Social Emotional Support Coaches The target population will be children in the Early Childhood Center in Woodward Oklahoma who have been identified/referred from a teacher and observed/assessed by the Mental Health Consultant as needing extra help with social emotional skills. Read More Innovative Idea Respectful Caregiving - OKAEYC The proposed workshop series, a collaborative effort between the Oklahoma Association for the Education of Young Children and certified trainers, seeks to empower caregivers with vital insights into the paramount significance of this early phase. Read More Innovative Idea Air Quality in Oklahoma Early Childhood Settings The overall goals of this project are to investigate the efficacy, implementation, and cost effectiveness of using two air disinfection solutions in ECE classrooms: (1) indoor air purifier, and/or (2) upper air disinfection utilizing germicidal ultraviolet light (UV-C). Read More Innovative Idea Calm Waters Infant Mental Health Grief Support Program The C.A.P. Train the Trainer Program is designed to train teachers, childcare professionals, foster care professionals, and lead parents in communities throughout Oklahoma, who will then disseminate the training to their peers and those they serve. Read More Innovative Idea Emergency Child Care Waiver: Innovative Referral and Approval Process The target population is Oklahoma families with children (ages birth to 8 years old) that have been exposed to a traumatic event. Read More

Research Based Early childhood programs and services which include study outcomes published in peer-reviewed journals. Filter by Rating Category Select Rating Category Filter by Focus Area Select Focus Area Filter by Focus Population Select Focus Population Filter by Submission Year Select Submission Year Search by keyword Well Supported by Research Pyramid Model The overall goal of the proposed work is to improve the social emotional development of young children in Oklahoma in any licensed childcare program. Read More Promising Research Al’s Pals Kids Making Healthy Choices The goal of this project is to ensure the healthy development and social emotional well-being of young children ages 5 and below throughout Oklahoma through the promotion of the Reach Out and Read (ROR) intervention, designed to foster intentional skill-building in parents, resilience in families, and positive bonding between children and families, integrated into pediatric primary care. Read More Well Supported by Research Conscious Discipline Conscious Discipline’s adult-first, child-second approach equips educators with the mindset and skillsets needed to internalize and dramatically upgrade their own social and emotional aptitudes. Read More Well Supported by Research Reach Out and Read The goal of this project is to ensure the healthy development and social emotional well-being of young children ages 5 and below throughout Oklahoma through the promotion of the Reach Out and Read (ROR) intervention. Read More Additional Research Needed Supporting Data-driven Improvements in Early Education This proposal provides a framework to support continuous improvement for early education programs that utilizes classroom and child data to identify existing strengths and appropriate areas for coaching and development. Read More Well Supported by Research LENA – Building Brains Through Early Talk LENA has conducted research showing significant variability in how much adults talk with children and that those who talk the least tend to overestimate how much they talk the most. Read More Promising Research Little Otter Health A New Model of Care: Little Otter has developed a platform and clinical model to provide virtual whole-family mental health care. Read More Well Supported by Research Second Step® Early Learning Second Step® Early Learning is designed specifically for multiple-age early learning environments with a focus on supporting children from low-income families. Read More Promising Research ELQA Starting Right – CECPD ELQA: Starting Right proposes to implement the ELQA and professional support in at least 20 classrooms in ten rural Oklahoma public elementary schools and selected childcare centers, Head Starts, and public preschool/pre-k programs that feed into each school. Read More Well Supported by Research Learn the Signs Act Early: A Developmental Health Promotion Program This submission targets parents of young children, early educators and other professionals working in systems that support early childhood. Read More

All Programs Our Clearinghouse offers comprehensive support for early childhood care and education, covering a wide range of settings such as centers, homes, family and friend arrangements, and programs like Head Start and Pre-K. Filter by Program Type Select Program Type Filter by Rating Category Select Rating Category Filter by Focus Area Select Focus Area Filter by Focus Population Select Focus Population Filter by Submission Date Select Submission Date Search by keyword Promising Research ELQA Starting Right – CECPD Child Development The goal of ELQA: Starting Right is to improve access to and use of high-quality early literacy and numeracy measurements and scientifically based strategies for differentiated instruction in preschools and childcare centers. Children, Caregivers, Administrators, Teachers 2023 Read More Well Supported by Research LENA – Building Brains Through Early Talk Child Development LENA’s programs help caregivers across the globe tap into this power of conversational turns. Children, Owners, Teachers, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents, Administrators 2023 Read More Promising Practice Autism Foundation of Oklahoma – Training Oklahoma Childcare Providers to Support Children with Autism (TOCA) Social Emotional Well-Being Providing comprehensive training to consultants and childcare providers improves the quality of care for children with autism, offering tailored support to address their unique needs. Caregivers, Children, Guardians, Owners, Parents, Teachers 2023 Read More Promising Practice TBRI and Trauma Informed Classrooms Social Emotional Well-Being Childcare providers can self-refer for a classroom consultation when they have an at-risk child who is struggling in their center. Caregivers, Children, Guardians, Teachers 2023 Read More Promising Practice Cognitive ToyBox, Inc. Child Development Cognitive ToyBox provides a unique, research-based approach to child assessment, enabling educators to use a combination of observation and game-based assessments. Children, Administrators, Parents, Teachers 2023 Read More Innovative Idea Air Quality in Oklahoma Early Childhood Settings Healthy Environment and Relationships The overall goals of this project are to investigate the efficacy, implementation, and cost effectiveness of using two air disinfection solutions in ECE classrooms: (1) indoor air purifier, and/or (2) upper air disinfection utilizing germicidal ultraviolet light (UV-C). Children, Teachers 2023 Read More Innovative Idea Respectful Caregiving - OKAEYC Child Development The proposed workshop series, a collaborative effort between the Oklahoma Association for the Education of Young Children and certified trainers, seeks to empower caregivers with vital insights into the paramount significance of this early phase. Children, Guardians, Parents, Teachers 2023 Read More Well Supported by Research Conscious Discipline Social and Emotional Learning Conscious Discipline’s adult-first, child-second approach equips educators with the mindset and skillsets needed to internalize and dramatically upgrade their own social and emotional aptitudes. Caregivers, Guardians, Administrators, Owners, Children, Teachers, Parents 2021 Read More Well Supported by Research Pyramid Model Social and Emotional Learning The overall goal of the proposed work is to improve the social emotional development of young children in Oklahoma in any licensed childcare program. Caregivers, Owners, Children, Teachers, Guardians, Administrators, Parents 2021 Read More Promising Research Al’s Pals Kids Making Healthy Choices Social and Emotional Learning The goal of this project is to ensure the healthy development and social emotional well-being of young children ages 5 and below throughout Oklahoma through the promotion of the Reach Out and Read (ROR) intervention, designed to foster intentional skill-building in parents, resilience in families, and positive bonding between children and families, integrated into pediatric primary care. Children, Teachers, Owners, Caregivers, Guardians, Administrators, Parents 2021 Read More Additional Research Needed Supporting Data-driven Improvements in Early Education Social and Emotional Learning This proposal provides a framework to support continuous improvement for early education programs that utilizes classroom and child data to identify existing strengths and appropriate areas for coaching and development. Children, Teachers, Caregivers 2021 Read More Well Supported by Research Reach Out and Read Social and Emotional Learning The goal of this project is to ensure the healthy development and social emotional well-being of young children ages 5 and below throughout Oklahoma through the promotion of the Reach Out and Read (ROR) intervention. Caregivers, Guardians, Children, Parents, Medical Providers 2021 Read More Promising Practice Developmental Monitoring Resources and Support for Early Care and Learning Providers Child Development The ultimate desired outcome of this project is to identify children with potential delays as early as possible and ensure that they are connected to available resources and fully included and supported in childcare settings. Teachers, Caregivers, Parents 2022 Read More Best Practice Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Program Expansion (I-ECMHC) Child Development As a Prevention strategy, the goal of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health is to support the development of infants and young children through strengthening the responsive capacity of their caregivers and promoting safe, stable, nurturing environments. Children, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents, Owners, Administrators, Teachers 2022 Read More Best Practice Growing Like a Read Child Development With financial support, the Pioneer Library System’s GLAR program could be extended even further beyond the walls of the libraries to childcare providers in low-income areas of the PLS three-county service area. Children, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents 2022 Read More Emerging Practice Start Right – Finish Ahead Social Emotional Learning The goal of this this submission is to provide a 1-2 year program that has been tested for more than ten years in numbers of settings (homes, learning centers, schools, etc) for the EC age child. Children, Teachers, Owners, Caregivers, Guardians, Administrators, Parents 2021 Read More Innovative Idea Early Learning Works Child Development The goal of Next Gen Tulsa FCC is to increase access to quality home-based child care for young children in Tulsa. Children, Teachers, Owners, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents 2022 Read More Innovative Idea Community of Support for Early Childhood Communities Social Emotional Learning The primary outcome for this submission is to increase support for early childhood communities in the area of autism and related disabilities by creating a statewide community of specially trained providers. The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) will use the Training of Trainers Model to achieve this goal, recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2019). Children, Teachers, Owners, Caregivers, Guardians, Medical Providers, Administrators, Parents 2021 Read More Innovative Idea Children's Sanctuary at Palomar, Oklahoma City's Family Justice Center Social Emotional Learning Palomar has a tremendous goal: to unify all possible services a victim and their children may need and make them easily accessible by housing them in one convenient location. Children, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents 2021 Read More Innovative Idea Early Birds for Child Care Professionals, Smart Start Central Oklahoma Child Development Smart Start Central Oklahoma’s primary goal is to build a supportive and involved community that works to ensure children are safe, healthy, eager to learn, and ready to succeed by the time they enter school. Children, Teachers, Owners, Caregivers, Guardians, Parents 2021 Read More Innovative Idea Deaf Mentor Program: Deaf Adult to Family Connection Child Development To increase visual language skills of young deaf children and their families, and establish meaningful relationships between families and Deaf adult role models across the state of Oklahoma. Caregivers, Guardians, Parents, Siblings, Family Members in the Home 2022 Read More