{"id":6585,"date":"2024-10-03T12:14:31","date_gmt":"2024-10-03T18:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthfund.org\/a\/?p=6585"},"modified":"2025-05-16T08:52:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T14:52:34","slug":"tcs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthfund.org\/a\/tcs\/","title":{"rendered":"Thriving Children Research Series"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Join us as we discuss new research that impacts the field of early childhood education and development<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

View details about this educational series below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions or have troubles registering? Contact us here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

JUST ADDED!
Webinar: “Access to Maternity Care in Kansas”
11-12 p.m. Thursday, June 12, 2025<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The growing maternal-care desert in Kansas is causing more women in the state to drive long distances for care<\/strong>, with 59% not having any local access to inpatient maternity services.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The KU School of Nursing recently released a report<\/a> detailing the availability of maternity care across Kansas. The report, “Access to Maternity Care in Kansas,” was produced in collaboration with the Kansas Center for Rural Health<\/a> with funding from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Over the last 10 years, many rural hospitals across the country have closed or have stopped offering maternity care services altogether. This includes in Kansas, which is second only to Texas in terms of the number of counties considered rural. Rural hospitals are at an increased risk of closure due to declining occupancy rates, high fixed costs and market pressures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access to quality perinatal care, which includes care during pregnancy and after the birth, is critical to the health of newborn babies and their mothers. Closures of hospitals and cessation of maternity services are correlated with more babies being born early, more infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units and more women dying during pregnancy or in childbirth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report outlines, by county and ZIP code when possible, the numbers of women of reproductive age in the area, the facilities offering prenatal care or inpatient maternity care; the availability of referral and high-risk services; and the providers accepting patients and offering prenatal or full perinatal services, nursing, anesthesia, behavioral health, lactation, and doula support services. It also provides the distances to facilities with delivery capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about the findings from this report during a special webinar from 11-12 p.m. Thursday, June 12, via Zoom. Speakers will include the report’s lead author, Karen Weis, Ph.D., FAAN, dean of KU School of<\/strong> <\/em>Nursing-Salina<\/strong>, followed by a panel discussion with maternal and rural health experts.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Register Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Kansas Child Care Subsidies: Perceptions from Providers<\/span>
10-11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
View full report<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Kansas Department for Children and Families’ child care subsidy program is one of the most important tools used to address child care affordability in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, just 12% of eligible families are participating in the program. Family participation in the program is tied to provider availability and provider participation in the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To gain insight as to why providers participate or not, the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund partnered with Kansas State University to survey Kansas child care providers to better understand their perception and experience with DCF’s child care subsidy program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join this webinar to discuss key findings from this important survey, “Child Care Providers: Perception of Child Care Subsidies in Kansas.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
View Webinar Recording & Report<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Leveraging the CCBHC Model to Enhance Childhood Mental Health<\/span>
1-2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The years from birth to age five are critical for a child\u2019s development, with rapid brain growth and increased neural connections laying the groundwork for cognitive, emotional and social skills that last into adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
View issue brief<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In Kansas, there has been progress in recognizing the importance of infant and early childhood mental health and expanding access to services for young children and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, challenges remain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model presents a framework to address these gaps \u2014 emphasizing comprehensive, person-centered care through strategic partnerships, workforce development and targeted interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kansas has an opportunity to strengthen its system for delivering infant and early childhood mental health services, leveraging the model\u2019s services and payment structure to ensure that all children and families can benefit from timely and effective support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Health Fund recently partnered with the Kansas Health Institute to research this opportunity. Learn more about this during our upcoming webinar, \u201cLeveraging the CCBHC Model to Enhance Childhood Mental Health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
View Webinar Recording & Issue Brief<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

ABC Parent-Coaching Program: Promising Insights<\/span>
1-2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Social-emotional development in young children is a critical factor related to later-life outcomes, such as school success, social interactions and mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A growing body of research demonstrates that investing in science-based, short-term early interventions pays off over both the short and long term, delivering lasting results that not only change lives for the better but also produce substantial returns on that investment.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
View full report<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) program is an evidence-based, home visiting intervention for caregivers of infants and toddlers who have experienced early adversity. It is designed to buffer the harmful effects of toxic stress and help support normal early childhood development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To explore the effectiveness of ABC with Kansas families, the KU School of Social Welfare (supported by multiple Kansas philanthropies, including the Health Fund) worked with several early childhood and mental health organizations across the state to research this program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, seven years later, the Kansas ABC Early Childhood Initiative has concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This webinar discussed the promising results from Phase II of this project, which continued researching the program’s effectiveness with infants and expanded to include toddlers with their caregivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
View Webinar Recording & Report<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n

The registration form is now closed – thank you for your interest. Please contact David Jordan david@healthfund.org for waiting list or future events.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

Stay tuned, as we will be adding additional webinars to this series! Subscribe to our emails or follow us on social media to find out the latest topics added.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n