Linking Action to Unmet Needs in Children's Health: Project Launch
Rural Indiana families are currently experiencing poor health/mental health outcomes at concerning rates, and are medically underserved, particularly regarding available mental health services and substance abuse treatment. Families with children ages zero to eight are especially at risk, given the limited options for early childhood care and education, as well as transportation and financial issues commonly experienced by rural caregivers. The Center for Collaborative Systems Change has partnered with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) and the non-profit system of care, One Community One Family (OCOF), to evaluate Indiana Project LAUNCH in communities that include Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, and Switzerland counties. This project is funded through a four-year cooperative agreement between the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and ISDH.
Indiana Project LAUNCH envisions a state where all individuals responsible for the care and development of children, before birth to age eight, are supported to ensure optimal social and emotional wellness, leading to healthier families and safer communities. This vision is accomplished through a public health approach that aims to improve the systems that serve young children and their families by implementing five core strategies: 1) Family strengthening and parent skills training, 2) Integration of behavioral health into primary care settings, 3) Screenings and assessment practices in a range of child-serving settings, 4) Mental health consultation in early care and educational settings, and 5) Enhanced home visiting through increased focus on socio-emotional well-being.
Indiana Project LAUNCH envisions a state where all individuals responsible for the care and development of children, before birth to age eight, are supported to ensure optimal social and emotional wellness, leading to healthier families and safer communities. This vision is accomplished through a public health approach that aims to improve the systems that serve young children and their families by implementing five core strategies: 1) Family strengthening and parent skills training, 2) Integration of behavioral health into primary care settings, 3) Screenings and assessment practices in a range of child-serving settings, 4) Mental health consultation in early care and educational settings, and 5) Enhanced home visiting through increased focus on socio-emotional well-being.
Key Project LAUNCH outcomes to date include:
- Over 2,000 children and families have received services through LAUNCH;
- Over 1,600 children have received social/emotional and developmental screenings;
- Over 1,000 children in Head Start benefited from Conscious Discipline programming found to predict positive student social-emotional outcomes; and
- Over 130 caregivers have received parenting support through the Incredible Years program, resulting in significant improvements in positive parenting practice.
For more information, contact Allison Howland at ahowland@indiana.edu.