Dear RSP Leaders,

We are sharing a summary from the November 14-15 meetings in Portland. And asking that you please be sure you have the Save the Date events in your calendar. For those we were able to connect with in Portland, THANK YOU for your time and participation!!

Important Information and Updates

On Thursday November 14, just after the conclusion of the Northwest Early Learning & Pyramid Summit, ORIMHA convened the 2-day meeting by hearing from Susan Fisher Maki about Regional Service Networks (RSNs). Susan and her colleagues at Common Thread are working on behalf of ORIMHA to support the development of RSNs and to facilitate the Advisory Committee’s guidance for DELC and ORIMHA as we carry out the Early Childhood Expulsion and Suspension Prevention Project (ECESPP). The afternoon was led by Erin Kinavey Wennerstrom and the ORIMHA Board of Directors (past & present) and culminated in a celebration of ORIMHA’s rich history and its 10th anniversary as a nonprofit organization. Slides from Susan’s presentation.

The Community of Practice kicked off on Friday November 15 with a conversation led by Kyla Garret Wagner of Alla Breve Consulting about what successful implementation of IECMH Consultation will look like. Alla Breve is working on behalf of ORIMHA to evaluate the work being done in its role as the Central Entity. The IECMH Consultation Implementation Support Team is reviewing the feedback that Kyla collected and using it to inform how best to support RSPs moving forward.

Next, Nichole Paradis and Sondra Stegenga provided a reminder of the recommendations from the Centering Racial Equity report. They ground the ECESPP and we explored their alignment with the Diversity Informed Tenets. The very end of the day provided an overview of the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement credential. Sondra & Nichole’s slides

The biggest segment of the day covered a review of the stages of implementation planning and focused on a template for the Implementation Plan that is aimed to align with DELC grant reporting requirements and also evidence-based practices and key steps in making systems change. We are connecting with DELC for further specifics of their required elements. We will communicate those responses with greater clarity to help you streamline your planning and grant reporting processes soon! Also, Nichole & Sondra will be reaching out to every RSP individually to check-in and offer times to meet. We want to be sure we answer your questions and make support available as you navigate this process!

Overall, the tools presented (Hexagon Tool and Implementation Stages Planning Tools), should be helpful and not an added burden. If they are feeling this way, please let us support through an individual meeting so we can help demonstrate how they can be efficient and optimally supportive by streamlining to fit your planning process.

We will provide additional training and supports related to the implementation plan and tools during the next virtual CoP on December 5, 2024 and during an added open office hours on December 12! Our goal is to help streamline and make this as feasible as possible. We also acknowledge all the hours you are all putting in on this initiative. You have so much on your plates and we are grateful to be working with such a dedicated and talented group of leaders. Please keep sharing your thoughts, concerns, and exciting ideas as we continue through this process together. We hear you and will continue to work hard as a team to improve, change, modify to meet your needs. That is our commitment to you.

Save the Dates

2024

Dec 5: Virtual CoP, 9-11am

Dec 12: Office hours (virtual), 9-10am

2025

Jan 9: Virtual CoP, 9-11am

Jan 10: Office hours (virtual), 9-10am

Feb 6: Virtual CoP, 9-11am

Mar 6: Virtual CoP, 9a-2p

April 3: Virtual CoP, 9-11am

Week of April 28: 3-day In-person CoP in Bend (More details to come at Dec 5 CoP!)

The 3-day meeting in Bend will offer hands-on support to complete the current grant report AND plan for next biennium’s contract! And the plans for this event includes ways to take advantage of the natural beauty of the Bend region…