CHDI NEWSLETTER
New IMPACT Report Highlights Effort to Build Resilience in Young Children 
A new IMPACT report, " Building Resilience in Young Children: Experiences Promoting Protective Factors in Six Pediatric Practices," reviews findings from an initiative designed to train pediatric primary care providers to promote child and family resilience using a protective factors framework. 

In a brief video , the authors discuss  the importance of promoting protective factors with families of young children and highlight findings from the IMPACT report.  CHDI partnered with the Help Me Grow National Center, a program of Connecticut Children's Office for Community Child Heath, to prepare this IMPACT.
Read the IMPACT report, executive summary, and news release at www.chdi.org. 
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
This May marks the 70th year of Mental Health Awareness month. Since 1949, Mental Health Month has been used to raise awareness about mental illness. To celebrate, CHDI will feature a different resource for families and providers each day in May. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@CHDICT) for daily updates.

May 6, 2019 is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. W atch SAMHSA's event "Suicide Prevention: Strategies That Work" online or join others at the Connecticut Network of Care Transformation event in Rocky Hill to watch it live. 
OEC Seeks Communities to Pilot Test "Sparkler" Mobile App for Families of Young Children
The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) has partnered with the Sparkler, 211 Child Development Infoline, and CHDI to pilot test the effectiveness of using app-based technology to enhance developmental screening, surveillance, and promotion in young children. OEC is working with early care and education providers in Hartford and Bridgeport to bring the app to families at no cost. The app provides families with improved access to developmental screening and referral services, a library of off-screen developmental promotion activities, and connections to caregivers and support services through messaging and data sharing. 

The Connecticut pilot project is seeking to expand to three or more interested communities and has published a Request for Application available until June 3rd. 

To learn more about the Sparkler, click here.
Connecticut Ranks 5th for Best State in Children's Health Care
Nationally, Connecticut ranked 5th for best state in children's health care according to Wallet Hub. CHDI's Vice President for Health Initiatives, Lisa Honigfeld was featured in the "Ask the Experts" section and shared her insights on ways parents can keep their children healthy. She suggested that, "By engaging in positive and supportive interactions and responding to babies' cues, [parents] help babies develop social-emotional competence, which supports development and ensures positive social connections across the lifespan."   Click here to read the full survey results and expert advice. 
Jeana Bracey Co-Authors Two National Journal Articles
CHDI's Director of School and Community Initiatives, Jeana Bracey co-authored two journal articles. 
The first article, " Child and family team meeting characteristics and outcomes in a statewide system of care " was published in American Journal of Community Psychology. The article describes the characteristics of child and family team meetings (CFTs) in our statewide Systems of Care through the CONNECTing Children and Families to Care initiative and measures the extent to which CFT characteristics predict child and family outcomes (e.g., youth problem behaviors, youth functioning, caregiver stress).
The second article, " Nothing about us without us: Authentic participation of service recipients in system development" in Children and Youth Services Review is a  case study that highlights findings from the state's children's behavioral health system planning and implementation initiative to 1) gather systematic feedback from families through the use of participatory research methods; 2) increase family access to data; and, 3) build the capacity of caregivers with the goal of increasing their involvement and leadership at all levels of the system of care.
CHDI Celebrated Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day
Take Your Child to Work Day photo

On April 25th, CHDI celebrated the 2019 National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Colleagues brought their sons and daughters to the office for a fun-filled day of learning, sharing, activities, and an ice cream social.

Click here to see more pictures of our colleagues and their children enjoying the day.
Staff News
Paul Suter Joins Connecticut Council for Philanthropy Board of Directors
Paul Suter, CHDI's Vice President for Finance & Operations, was recently elected to serve on the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy (CCP) Board of Directors. Paul will join 17 other philanthropic leaders on the Board, and will serve on the finance committee to help guide and monitor the organization's financial, budgeting, and administrative policies and operations.
Join the Team: CHDI is Hiring!
Staff members possess expertise in children's mental health, social work, pediatric primary care, and public policy and have experience applying research in a way that enhances policy, systems, and practices and improves the health and well-being of children.

CHDI is currently hiring for the following positions: 
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Child Health and Development Institute
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