Funding for Immediate Needs

The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking bids for an agency/firm to assist in developing a performance rate card for its home visiting funding.  Additionally, CTF seeks to build infrastructure for a larger pay-for-success initiative in the state of Missouri.

BACKGROUND
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention.  CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.  Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a seventeen member Board of Directors.

SCOPE OF WORK
CTF seeks an experienced social impact financing firm that will work with CTF to pilot a rate card for home visiting services, including the following key activities:
• Selecting and defining outcome metrics for award payments
• Defining measurement methodology and data needs
• Setting the pricing for outcome awards
• Creating an operations plan for launching and implementing the rate card pilot

TIMELINE
Tuesday, June 30, 2020:  Proposals are due to CTF by close of business (5:00 p.m. CST)
Tuesday, July 7, 2020:   Notice of award will be made on or before this date

GUIDANCE
Proposals shall not exceed three pages in length and should detail the following:

• Experience of Agency: Please discuss the applicant’s agency experience and past history in developing social impact financing or pay for success projects. Please include concrete examples of past projects with other states or entities.
• Key Personnel: Please identify the key personnel who will be involved in this project and their expertise in developing social impact financing or pay for success projects.
• Methodology: Please discuss the steps and timeline for delivering the scope of work.
• Interest: Please discuss why the agency has an interest in working with CTF.
• Cost: Please identify and detail the cost for performing the scope of work.

Completed proposals must be emailed to Laura Malzner at  laura.malzner@oa.mo.gov by 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2020.  Selection will be based on the best and lowest bid. Further inquiries may be made to Laura by email or by calling 573-751-6511/5147.

The article “Parent’s Have A Right To Be Stressed, but Don’t Take It Out On Your Kids,” co-written by Dr. Bob Sege, states that just as prior generations were deeply affected by the Great Depression, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and the Kennedys and the horrors of 9/11, the Covid-19 pandemic may well be the defining moment in the lives of today’s children. That’s why we owe it to our children to focus on positive experiences during these difficult times, while minimizing adverse experiences that can wound children for a lifetime. We already know that positive experiences, especially close relationships, promote healthy child development and allow us to withstand the ups and downs of life beyond the current pandemic.

With April being Child Abuse Prevention Month, it is a perfect time to raise awareness and take actions to support children and create experiences that will help them understand, grow, and be resilient in this unprecedented time.

• • Establish a spirit of hope and optimism and make the case that positive experiences have lasting impact on human development and functioning, without ignoring well-documented concerns related to toxic environments.
  • Demonstrate, through science, the powerful contribution of positive relationships and experiences to the development of healthy children and adults.
  • Describe actions related to current social norms regarding parenting practices, particularly those associated with healthy child development. These actions are based on data that suggest that American adults are willing to intervene personally to prevent child abuse and neglect.
  • Reflect upon the positive returns on investment that our society can expect as we make changes in policies, practices, and future research to support positive childhood environments that foster the healthy development of children.

Thus, this report contributes to a growing body of work – the Science of Thriving – that encourages us to better understand and support optimal child health and development.

How can we reduce ACEs and toxic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic? Many of us are concerned that increased stress might increase the risk for ACEs. For example, most child abuse happens when adults reach their breaking point. However, we are not powerless in the face of these challenges. Using HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) as a guide, this blog series, Love in the Time of Corona Virus, written by Dr. Bob Sege, provides suggestions to help reduce ACES.

The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors is pleased to offer funding for Discretionary Grants for Fiscal Year 2021.

Faulkner; Heskett; Emily van Schenkhof, CTF ED; Beechner-McCarthy

During the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) annual fall board meeting in October 2019 in Jefferson City, the Board elected Amy Beechner-McCarthy, Rolla, as the new Board Chair, and Sharon Faulkner, EA, Springfield, as the new Chair-Elect.  Beechner-McCarthy replaces outgoing Board Chair John Heskett, Ed.D, Chesterfield, who has served in the leadership role for the past two years since October 2017.

“As a former foster parent I have experienced the impact of abuse on children and their families. We have an obligation to do better and work harder to prevent the physical and sexual abuse and neglect of children.  The hard work of CTF staff and Board members in adopting and implementing a strategic plan is moving us in the right direction.  I am grateful to serve in the role of Board Chair.  Working together, we will make a lasting, positive change for the children and families in Missouri.’ — Beechner-McCarthy

CTF Board: Beechner-McCarthy; Heskett; Faulkner; Jim Anderst, MD; Rep. Kip Kendrick; van Schenkhof; Megan Price (Sen. Jill Schupp); Cherisse Thibaut; Peggy Krokstrom; Mike Howard

Beechner-McCarthy was appointed by Governor Jay Nixon to the CTF Board in July 2015, and will serve a two-year term as Chair until October 2021. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Russell House, a shelter and service provider for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Faulkner was appointed by Governor Eric Greitens to the CTF Board in November 2017.  She is an Accountant and Investment Advisor at Shaw, Faulkner and Werner Investment Group, Inc.  She is also an Investment Advisor Representative with Voya Investment Advisors, Inc.  Faulkner will serve as Chair-Elect during the same time period ending 2021, and will then assume the Chair position through October 2023.

Valuable read from the CDC!  Child abuse and neglect are complex problems rooted in unhealthy relationships and environments.   Preventing child abuse and neglect requires a comprehensive approach that influences all levels of the social ecology, community involvement, relationships among families and neighbors, and individual behaviors.

Effective prevention strategies focus on identifying policies, practice and societal norms to create safe, stable nurturing relationship and environments.

This technical package represents a select group of strategies based on the best available evidence to help prevent child abuse and neglect:

• • • • • • strengthen economic supports to families
          • change social norms to support parents and positive parenting
          • provide quality care and education early in life
          • enhance parenting skills to promote healthy child development
          • intervene to lesson harms and prevent future risk

Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) & Prevention:
> https://www.cdc.gov/features/child-abuse-neglect/index.html
> https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/index.html

The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors is pleased to offer funding for Capacity Building Grants.

Measuring Success:  Healthy Development by Age 3

The developmental period extending from prenatal to age three provides the foundation for children’s school readiness, health and well-being.

The National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers (NCIT) — powered by the Pritzker Children’s Initiative — has identified a set of evidence-based metrics, drawn from research, to track the health and development of children prenatal to age three with data that is comparable and reliable across states, communities and diverse families.  The Prenatal-to-Three Outcomes Framework Data Guidebook details the NCIT measurements system, or Outcomes Framework, and contains detailed recommendations for using the right outcomes and indicators, and their data sources, to measure the success of policies and programs in your state or community.

Supporting this framework is the underlying belief that, with a focus on equity, states and communities can build and sustain locally responsive systems, programs and policies that meet the needs of infants, toddlers and their families.

The following are just a few of the important indicators related to child well-being that are described within the Guidebook:

>Program & Policy Expansion Indicator:  Home Visiting (p19-20)
>Child & Family Indicators:

• Reduced Incidence of Prenatal Exposure to Drugs/Alcohol/Smoking (p27-28)
• Increase in Children who Receive Warm, Attentive & Responsive Caregiving (p33)
• Reduced Incidence of Maternal Depression (p35-36)
• Reduced Incidence of Parenting Stress (p37)
• Reduced Incidence of Abuse & Neglect (p38-39)
• Reduced Incidences of Child Injuries, Death & Health Issues (p42)

What  Child  Abuse  Is,  How  We  Respond  To  It,  And  What  You  Can  Do  About  It

Suggested Reading:  CTF recommends this book entitled After the Cradle Falls by Melissa Jonson-Reid & Brett Drake.  Melissa presented on the content of her unique book during the 2019 CTF Prevention Conference, where CTF offered a copy to each attendee to foster shared learning about child abuse and neglect prevention.  Geared toward the general public, CTF encourages you to read as well!  Get your copy!

–There may be no other social problem so common, yet so little understood by the general public, as child abuse and neglect. This book is intended to help remedy that situation. After the Cradle Falls integrates examples from folklore, songs, and news articles with the latest summary of empirical research to create an accessible and engaging work intended to provoke the reader to think about how to address the issue of child abuse and neglect in America. Written in a conversational style, the book engages the reader in thinking through why maltreatment occurs, what it looks like, and what we do and do not know. Most importantly, it asks the reader to become involved in the solution based on their own conclusions and values.

Given the prevailing state of widespread public misunderstanding about child abuse, its causes and effects, and the involved systems, After the Cradle Falls is particularly current, relevant, and useful. It is a must-read for students, professionals in child advocacy or family services agencies, and policymakers.

Safe Sleep for Babies.  #AloneBackCrib
Attention Parents and Caregivers!  The Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper has been recalled. Learn about what you can do if you have one by visiting How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained and spread the word to your networks.

It’s important to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Safe Sleep Recommendations to keep babies safe from suffocation.  Please use caution when buying products and avoid the use of commercial devices that are inconsistent with safe sleep recommendations.

— Reducing dangers for families means holding infant sleep products to the highest standard, says NICHQ President and CEO, Scott D. Berns, MD, MPH, FAAP. “Every year, we lose thousands of babies to preventable deaths, and that means we need to do more to help families understand and follow safe sleep practices—that includes protecting them from purchasing products that could cause harm. We should all be working to make things easier for families, not more confusing. As a national children’s health organization, we stand behind the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.”

> Fisher-Price recalls more inclined baby sleeper products following Rock ‘n Play recall – USA TODAY 6-19
> Products that Cause Infant Death should be Recalled – National Institute for Children’s Health Quality 4-19

#AloneBackCrib

Happy Fathers Day to all dads & father figures!  Thank you for making #GreatChildhoods happen!

Click here for terrific Fatherhood Resources  offered by the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

#StrongFamiliesSafeKids

An analysis by the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund – March 2019

Dear Friends and Partners,

One of my favorite expressions is “if it was easy, we’d have already done it.”

Creating a high-functioning home visiting system that is accessible to all families in need is not easy. For years, Missouri has spent millions of dollars on home visiting, without a deliberate cross-agency strategy to increase the efficiency, quality and reach of these programs. Although it is not easy, it is time that we take our commitment and conversations to the next level and create true change.

Expanding and Enhancing Home Visiting in Missouri — An analysis by the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) provides a starting point to making our system better. We are not asking for perfection, nor are we asking for or expecting agreement on all fronts. What we are asking for is a commitment to getting better. Regardless of what your role is or where you are, every single one of us can control our openness to change, our willingness to consider new ideas and the effort we put into improving services for Missouri families. CTF asks for your commitment to making our state home visiting system better.

In the coming months, we hope to have many conversations on how we can work together to make improvements. I hope you will consider what your role could be in the ‘not so easy’ task of creating the best home visiting system in the nation.

Emily van Schenkhof
CTF Executive Director

The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors awarded nearly $1.5 million in prevention grants in Fiscal Year 2019 to fifty-six (56) child-serving organizations throughout Missouri.

Of the amount, $814,936.50 in new funding was directed to twenty-eight (28) general prevention and training grants to focus on protecting children, increasing knowledge and strengthening families’ abilities to lessen child abuse and neglect risk factors. The balance totaling $678,362.50 will fund an additional twenty-eight (28) renewal grants to continue prevention projects from previous distribution cycles.

“Deciding what we award each year is the hardest and best part of CTF’s job,” said Emily van Schenkhof, CTF Executive Director. “The projects we have funded in Fiscal Year 2019 are some of the best child abuse prevention projects in Missouri—we are confident that they will change lives for our children.”

The funds were awarded following a competitive grant and review process and will support evidence-based and promising programs including home visiting, parent education, infant safe sleep, fatherhood support, sexual abuse prevention, training and collective impact.

Established by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention and works to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect through grant distribution, education, awareness and partnerships. In its 35-year history, CTF has awarded over $64 million in non-general revenue to date to support community-based programs statewide.

CTF receives funding through dedicated fees on marriage licenses and vital records, voluntary contributions designated on the Missouri State Income Tax Return, sales of the specialty CTF prevent child abuse license plate, general donations, Interest income for the Fund and a federal grant administered through the Administration of Children and Families.

For additional information, visit ctf4kids.org.
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The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) seeks a consultant to assist CTF Board and staff in developing a comprehensive communications strategy to promote protective cultural norms designed to prevent child maltreatment.

BACKGROUND
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention.  CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization with the sole purpose to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.  Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a seventeen member Board of Directors.

SCOPE OF WORK
CTF seeks a consultant who will work with CTF to:

• Implement a process to collect, identify, evaluate and assess social and community norms related to prevention, child maltreatment and child well-being in Missouri.
• Foster a statewide approach involving Missouri state departments, other public/private agencies, stake holders, grantees, etc. to participate in decision-making and to encourage a unified effort to address child abuse prevention through the promotion of desired social norms.
• Complete an assessment of Missouri residents to inform baseline data, including reviewing available relevant data, conducting surveys, polling, etc. The consultant will provide technical assistance specific to developing social norms questions/survey instrument for the determined survey platforms, which an outside entity may be used to administer.
• Review and assess data to identify attitudes, behaviors, misperceptions, gaps, etc. and identify 2-5 social norms related to preventing child abuse (including child sexual abuse) that will be the basis for strategic communication messaging.
• Develop data-informed messaging based on the identified social norms to deliver to the Missouri-based advertising/media company of CTF’s choosing, which CTF and its team will be in regular contact to inform and guide the work to ensure successful delivery of the creative design and execution of the plan.
• Evaluate the process and impact of the social norms messaging in preventing child abuse and neglect in Missouri.

TIMELINE
Friday, October 19, 2018: Proposals are due to CTF by close of business (5:00 p.m.)
Friday, October 26, 2018: Notice of award will be made on or before this date

GUIDANCE
Proposals shall not exceed three pages in length and will respond to the following:

• Identify the primary individual(s) who will work on this project.
• What are the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience and knowledge related to conducting child welfare, child maltreatment or child well-being research?
• What is the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience in assessing social norms and developing a social norms communications campaign?
• Why is the applicant interested in working with CTF on the issue of child abuse and neglect prevention?
• Please provide a Scope of Work, including a related timeframe, for the requested project.
• What is the proposed budget amount to conduct the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work (assuming a contract period of January-June 2019, July 2019-June 2020, July 2020-June 2021, July 2021-June 2022)?

Completed proposals shall be emailed to Paula Cunningham at paula.cunningham@oa.mo.gov by 5 p.m. Friday, October 19, 2018. Selection shall be based on the best and lowest bid. Further inquiries may be made to Paula by email or by calling 573-751-2266/5147.  Thank you.

When we know better, we do better! September Baby Safety Month is an opportune time to highlight Infant Safe Sleep and encourage EVERYONE to practice the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Guidelines to prevent infant suffocation and strangulation.  Together, let’s keep all babies safe.  #AloneBackCrib

— Always put baby to sleep ALONE, on his/her BACK, in a safe CRIB for naps and night time sleep. Putting baby down to sleep with adults, other children or animals can cause baby to suffocate.

— Place baby in a safety-approved crib, bassinet or portable play area with a firm sleep surface and fitted sheet. Do NOT place baby to sleep on an adult bed or other soft mattress, waterbed, sofa, chair, beanbag, pillow, cushion, other soft surface or in a car seat, sling, swing, bouncer or stroller.

— Remove all soft objects toys, blankets, bumper pads, pillows from the baby sleep area.

— Dress baby in a sleeper/sleep sack instead of using a blanket or other covering.  Do not let baby overheat.

— Put baby to sleep alone in a crib or bassinet, but in the same room where you sleep. Bed sharing is dangerous.

What does a Safe Sleep Environment look like?

Ways to reduce Suffocation and SIDS

Get the FAQs

The Missouri Child Fatality Review Program Annual Report 2016
In 2016, there were 71 unintentional suffocation deaths of children under age one.  Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (ASSB) is the leading cause of infant injury deaths and is directly related to unsafe sleep environments including soft bedding, overlay, wedging, entrapment and strangulation.

ASSB is preventable, so EVERYONE needs to know about infant #SafeSleep.
#ShowMeSafeSleep in Missouri.

The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking a consultant to assist CTF staff in developing and producing a Safe Sleep video to serve as an educational tool to promote safe sleep practices and prevent infant death. The video will be utilized by Missouri birthing hospitals, child serving agencies and the general public.

BACKGROUND
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention.  CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization with the sole purpose to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.  Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a twenty-one member Board of Directors.

SCOPE OF WORK
CTF seeks a consultant who will work with CTF to:

• Develop a Safe Sleep education video that leverages detailed analysis of infant death, first-person interviews and consumer insights.
• Convene and provide expert guidance to a Safe Sleep Planning Committee of stakeholders to identify common strategies, objectives, needs and aspirations for the Safe Sleep video.
• Research and review sleep related infant deaths in Missouri to inform the video content and to better understand existing barriers, trends, gaps in education, and prevention methods.
• Develop presentations about learned information for the stakeholders and creative/production teams.
• Develop and facilitate in-person interviews with a diverse pool of families for inclusion within the video.
• Facilitate focus groups/design sprint with stakeholders and families; information gained shall inform the project and guide the messaging strategies, script, creative, etc.
• Develop final recommendations and creative brief for production team/audiovisual consultant.
• Partner with the selected production company to ensure creative brief is followed for script and shot list development.

TIMELINE
Wednesday, October 17, 2018: Proposals are due to CTF by close of business (5:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, October 24, 2018: Notice of award will be made on or before this date

GUIDANCE
Proposals shall not exceed two pages in length and will respond to the following:

• Please identify the primary individual who will work on this project.
• What are the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience and knowledge related to infant mortality, collective impact and safe sleep initiatives?
• What is the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience in developing/producing safe sleep videos, campaigns, messaging, scripts, etc.?
• Why is the applicant interested in working with CTF on the issue of child abuse and neglect prevention?
• Please provide a Scope of Work, including a related timeframe, for the requested project.
• What is the total, all-inclusive proposed budget amount to conduct the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work (assuming a contract period of October 2018-March 2019)?

Completed proposals shall be emailed to Paula Cunningham at paula.cunningham@oa.mo.gov by 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 17, 2018.  Selection shall be based on the best and lowest bid. Further inquiries may be made to Paula by email or by calling 573-751-2266/5147.  Thank you.

Child Abuse Epidemiology Consultation —

The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking a consultant to assist CTF staff in accessing, interpreting and presenting child abuse and neglect data.

BACKGROUND
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention.  CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization with the sole purpose to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.  Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a twenty-one member Board of Directors.

SCOPE OF WORK
CTF seeks a consultant who will work with CTF to:

• Increase CTF understanding of the epidemiology and etiology of child abuse;
• Develop presentations for CTF Board and staff on data on child abuse and neglect in Missouri;
• Assist CTF Board and staff in staying current on the latest data on child abuse and neglect in Missouri and nationwide; and
• Assist CTF Board and staff in incorporating data into decisions made by CTF.

TIMELINE

• September 14, 2018: Proposals are due to CTF by close of business (5:00 p.m.)
• September 21, 2018:  Notice of award will be made on or before this date

GUIDANCE
This contract will be paid based on an all-inclusive hourly rate of actual hours worked with the total expenditures not to exceed $25,000. The contract period will begin October 1, 2018 and end June 30, 2019. Renewals are possible depending on the success of the project and the needs of CTF Board and staff.

Proposals shall not exceed two pages in length and will respond to the following:

• What are the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience in working with data on child abuse and neglect and/or other public health issues?
• Please identify the primary individual who will work on this project and describe their academic background related to epidemiology and/or data.
• Please explain the applicant’s familiarity with data sources on Missouri-specific indicators of child abuse and neglect.
• Why is the applicant interested in working with CTF and/or on the issue of child abuse and neglect prevention?
• What is the all-inclusive hourly rate charged by the applicant?

Completed proposals must be emailed to Laura Malzner at laura.malzner@oa.mo.gov by 5:00 p.m. on September 14, 2018. Selection will be based on the best and lowest bid. Further inquiries may be made to Laura by email or by calling 573-751-6511/5147. Thank you.

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