Orientating Information

Vision: To create a community where every child will receive the support needed to

be trustworthy, caring, and knowledgeable.

Mission: Partnership For All Cherokee County Children connects CherokeeCounty

families to community resources.

What was the process for developing a vision and mission for the coalition? Who was involved in the process?

Representatives from the agencies below met and reviewed local data and worked

through the Communities That Care process to develop the vision and mission

guide the group. Elm Acres, Health Department, Kan Focus grant, Greenbush, Regional Prevention Center, Ministerial Alliance, Galena School District, Family Life Center (mental health), and SRS

Has the vision and mission of the organization changed at all over time?

The coalition’s mission is reviewed annually by the coalition when setting

goals for the upcoming year. In Spring of 2004, the Community Education Committee of the coalition proposed the current mission statement. The mission was a condensed form of the former lengthy one so members could remember and recite it when speaking about the coalition to the community. The Board of Directors formally adopted the mission statement in August 2004.

Conceptual Framework

Does the coalition have a framework or logic model to guide the effort?

The coalition became a formal 501(c)3 in 2001 during which the coalition adopted by-laws that govern the coalition and its focus of helping children and families. Members of the PACCC participate in a strategic planning process each spring to review data, progress on previous goals, and identify gaps. An action plan is formed during this process for subcommittees to refer to and work from.

Purpose of Present Study

Why was this coalition selected for this case study report?

The PACCC maintains active membership from a broad agency spectrum while continuing to expand membership among community members, youth, and agencies. The coalition understands the importance of making data driven decisions to make the most impact with limited resources. The coalition has been in existence since 1992 and continues to grow in numbers and recognition in the community. The schools in the county are active in the coalition and understand the value of participating in the Communities That Care Student Survey. The county rate for participation is 62%.

Coalition Overview

Community Context and Setting

What community is the coalition located? What is the historical context of the

community?

CherokeeCounty is in the most Southeast corner of the state of Kansas, jutting up against Oklahoma, and Missouri. The county is comprised of four larger communities including Columbus, Galena, Riverton, and Baxter Springs and several other smaller communities. A colorful history of the Cherokee Nation, the Confederacy and conflict exist in our past. The largest Superfund site for lead poisoning and a methamphetamine epidemic burden our present conditions.

What are the demographic characteristics of the community?

Approximately, 22,000 people live in this county, which embraces four school districts with a total of 4,021 students K-12 in 21 school buildings.The population is primarily (92%) white. The percentage of the population below poverty is 14.3% and significantly higher than the state (9.9%). Transportation is also an issue in the county and contributes to the high unemployment rate (7.9%).

What were the major problems, concerns, and community needs that occasioned the development of the coalition? What features or aspects of the community affected the development of the coalition?

The area is economically depressed with limited resources. The county borders Missouri and Oklahoma and has no organized medical facility. Data on births is difficult if not impossible to track due to the lack of medical care. Substance abuse, notably methamphetamine, is rampant and a contributing factor in the high child abuse rates.

Coalition development, History, and Organizational Structure

When did the coalition form? Under what conditions or circumstances was the

coalition developed?

The Partnership For All Cherokee County Children formed to serve as the interagency coordinating council for tiny-k programs. It formalized in its current capacity to serve children and families as a direct result of the House Bill 3113 in 1992. The Family Life Center hired Jean Collins to coordinate the coalition efforts at that time.

What is the organizational structure of the coalition? Who are the organizational

leaders and what are their roles and functions?

The general coalition is open to anyone who lives or supports children and families in Cherokee County. A formal membership list with voting rights was established by the Articles of Incorporation. The coalition and 501(c)3 is governed by a Board of Directors that is elected each January at the annual meeting. Coalition President is Susan Lopez from Family Life Center, Vice-President is Tammy Costlow with Class Ltd., Treasurer is Betha Williams from the Cherokee County Health Department, Secretary is Misty Burke with the Regional Prevention Center of Southeast Kansas. The members at-large on the board include Scott Jackson, Family Life Center; Brian Peery, JJA; Theresa Noland, Galena Schools; Penny Massa, Class Ltd.; Bill Carter, SRS; and Sandy Elsworth, Parents As Teachers.

Community Partnerships

Key Partners

Key partners in the coalition include Galena and Riverton schools, Cherokee County Health Department, Family Life Center (mental health), Juvenile Justice Authority, Parents As Teachers, Regional Prevention Center, Education Service Center-Greenbush, Class Ltd., K-State Research and Extension, Social and Rehabilitation Services, Child Care Focus Resource and Referral, and YouthFriends.

Coalition has involvement with law enforcement, county government, county attorney, Children’s Advocacy Center, Birth to Three, media, and the Project ACHIEVE after school program. These members attend meetings, receive coalition e-mails, and newsletters. The pool of stakeholders in the coalition is increasing gradually as the coalition expands its efforts and outreach. The coalition continues to invite and involve the faith community, businesses, legislators, youth, and parents.

Support Organization

Does the coalition have any supportive agencies that help the coalition? What are the roles and functions of the organizations that provide support? What type of technical assistance is provided by the supportive agencies?

Time dedicated to the coalition efforts is donated from the agencies sending representatives. Those members who give the most time are those who serve on the Board of Directors. Family Life Center, Class Ltd, Parents As Teachers, SRS, JJA, Galena Schools, Cherokee County Health Department, and the Regional Prevention Center. In addition to the time dedicated to serve on the board, Susan Lopez with Family Life Center spends approximately 10 hours a week on coalition business. Class Ltd has graciously allowed the use of their meeting room at no charge on an ongoing basis. Class Ltd also provided office space for the Resource Coordinator and assistance with setting up accounting for coalition. The Regional Prevention Center provides technical assistance through data collection, minutes, and strategic planning.

Resources

How is the coalition funded and supported?

Funding for the coalition has varied in source and amount through its duration. Kan Focus provided funding for 5 years for flex funding for SED children and their families. In addition to Kan Focus, the coalition received State Incentive Cooperative Agreement funding for substance abuse prevention programs. The Regional Prevention Center has also collaborated with the coalition to submit and manage grants from Juvenile Justice Authority and the local Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board. The membership fee of the coalition generates funds to pay for general operational expenses.

Graph 1: Resources Generated by Sector

What key resources and supports were particularly helpful to the development and ongoing maintenance of the coalition?

The resources generated from local community agencies have been key in sustaining programs and services created through grants received. Grants from Juvenile Justice Authority have assisted in the implementation of a truancy prevention program, resource coordinator position for the coalition, and YouthFriends school-based mentoring. Funding from the Juvenile Justice Prevention Trust supported the comprehensive Parents as Teachers program throughout the county as well as trainings to enhance quality childcare in the county. Additional funding has been secured through the Kansas Children’s Cabinet to continue the enhancement of early childhood programs and services in Cherokee County. A grant was received through Social and Rehabilitation Services to address the extreme number of out of home placements in Cherokee County. The coalition tackled the issue and has now decreased the number in out of home placement dramatically.

Is the distribution of resources generated what you expected to see? Why or why not?

The distribution appeared as expected. Primary sources have been from Juvenile Justice and SRS agencies.

What sectors does the coalition need to be more actively involved in leveraging resources?

The coalition would like to expand its resources to more local foundations and organizations as well explore federal funding for innovative services.

What additional support, if available, would have further contributed to success?

Additional paid staff time would benefit the efforts of the coalition greatly. The ability to leverage local resources through meetings and community events has been impaired by lack of time of the member agencies due to primary responsibilities to their employers. Time for grant writing has been donated by agencies that support the coalition philosophy but are also limited to primary job responsibilities. Cherokee County is a rural community with limited corporate businesses limited the number of agency foundations and resources.

Coalition Goals and Outcomes

Community Change Goals

What are the targeted goals and objectives of the coalition?

The coalition identified three categories of issues in the county and divided into

subcommittees to address those topics.

The Strengthening Families subcommittee’s goals are

  • Increase awareness of domestic and child abuse to community members, agencies, and families through media and literature;
  • Decrease child abuse through stricter involvement and prosecution by law enforcement and county attorney;
  • Increase quality and availability of child care in Cherokee County;
  • Increase preschool options available to 3 and 4 year olds.

The Community Education subcommittee’s goals are

  • Increase and expand membership of coalition to include faith community, businesses, and parents;
  • Increase media coverage of children and family issues in Cherokee County; and
  • Promote awareness of national awareness campaigns on substance abuse prevention, domestic violence and abuse prevention, and mental and physical health.

The Charitable Resources subcommittee’s goals are

  • Complete a Needs Assessment to identify gaps in community resources;
  • Increase involvement and purse more grant opportunities to meet identified needs;
  • Explore options to create Food Bank for those in at poverty level or below; and
  • Review Transportation Study on available transportation and barriers in Cherokee County.

Have the targeted goals been modified since the formation of the coalition?

The coalition reviews goals every 12-18 months to check for progress and to readdress the needs that data indicates are a priority in Cherokee County. The above goals were set during a strategic planning process in February and March of 2004. Many of the goals have been met and the coalition is setting a date to set goals for the next year.

Risk and Protective Factors

What are the key risk and protective factors targeted by the coalition?

Family ConflictHealthy Beliefs

Community Laws and NormsBonding

Low Commitment to School

Outcomes

What are the population level outcomes the coalition aims to affect?

  • Reduce the number of children in out of home placements in Cherokee County
  • Reduce the number of child abuse cases in Cherokee County
  • Reduce substance abuse among youth
  • Increase age of first use in Cherokee

County

Strategies

What are the general strategies that the coalition uses to achieve stated goals and

outcomes?

The coalition completed a needs assessment to identify the need for reducing the number of out of home placements for youth. A planning session to educate partners on a protocol for serving youth was established. A Juvenile Family Intake Worker was hired on to address this need during the first 48 hours.

What are examples of coalition specific strategies/components as they relate to CSAP core strategies? See Table 2 below.

Table 2: Coalition Strategies by CSAP Core Strategies

Broad Strategies / Coalition Specific Strategies/Components
Community-based Process / Complete needs assessment, identify need, planning session to engage partners
Prevention Education / N/A
Environmental Change / Protocol for handling children in custody during first 48 hours
Drug Free Alternatives / N/A
Information Dissemination / Educate parents, court services, and agencies on services available to serve children and family
Problem Identification and Referral / N/A

Results

Coalition as Catalyst for Change

To what extent has the coalition served as a catalyst for community change? What new

or modified programs, policies, and practices have been facilitated by the RPC?

The coalition serves as the catalyst for many of the community changes that occur in Cherokee County. Through communication and work by coalition members, each of the school districts implemented after school programs, YouthFriends school based mentoring program, and truancy prevention programs. The coalition also serves as a catalyst by breaking down turf issues and bring agencies to common ground to address issues in the county.

What are illustrative examples of community change facilitated by the coalition?

YouthFriends School Based Mentoring in each of the four districts in county

Parents As Teachers program revived through coalition’s collaborative grant writing

County-wide Resource Coordinator to serve as a single point of contact for county

Truancy Prevention Program implemented throughout all schools in county

Coalition members worked together to become a 501c3 non-profit to pursue additional resources

Juvenile Intake Family worker to work with families and get referrals for services before court appearance to reduce number of out of home placements

Which of these are worthy of special note? Can you identify particular community champions or heroes?

These community changes were the result of the coalition identifying a need or gap in services; matching a program or policy change to address the need; and individuals collaborating to find fiscal and in-kind resources to implement to change. Many agencies collaborated through the coalition to submit grant proposals to fund YouthFriends, Truancy Prevention, and the Resource Coordinator position. Early childhood agencies worked diligently through their subcommittee to find additional resources to expand the Parents as Teachers program throughout the county. SRS and the Regional Prevention Center assisted the coalition in a strategic planning session that identified the out of home placement issue in Cherokee County. At the time, Cherokee County’s rates for out of home placement were 300%. The Family Life Center and all early intervention services stepped up to the plate and signed an agreement to respond within the first 48 hours with services before families go before the court.

Factors Associated with Rates of Change

Is the rate of community change increasing, decreasing or staying about the same? If

there are marked changes in the rates of change, please explain why. What happened that

led to those discontinuities? Is the coalition surprised by the rate of change?

The rates of community change are growing but at a much slower rate. The initiation of many new programs through State Incentative Cooperative Agreement (SICA) grant funding increased the rate significantly in the early years of the coalition. The coalition has continued to implement new strategies and programs when identified as a need but has focused more on policy and practice changes in recent years. To create change with policies and practices that have been in place for many years has taken longer than initiating the new programs therefore decreasing the intensity of community changes. The coalition is not surprised by the rate of change.

Graph 2: Community Change by Critical Event

Coalition’s Contribution to Community Improvement

Table 3: Community Change by Goal Area

Goal Areas: Are the distributions of community changes by goal area what you expected to see? What is surprising about the distribution of community change by goal area?

The distributions between the children succeed in school and youth choosing healthy behaviors goals are not surprising. The coalitions work towards after school programs, mentoring, and truancy prevention are evident by the strength of this distribution. The more sporadic goals of the early childhood subcommittee can attest to the number of community changes in the children live in stable and supported families, pregnant women and newborns thrive, and children entering school ready to learn.

Table 4: Change by Sector

Are the distributions of community changes by sector what you expected to see? What is surprising about the distribution of the community change by sector?

The distribution of community changes by sector is not surprising. The influx of community changes that were reported were a result of the State Incentive Cooperative Agreement grant process. Many of the new programs that were implemented with this new funding were school-based. The other policy and practice changes were results of the coalition working for change through the community sector.