OUR HISTORY

Our Beginnings

In 2004, a working group of mental health and early childhood professionals was convened by The Children’s Home of Cincinnati in response to the findings from a gap analysis conducted by Success by 6®. This gap analysis indicated the community needed to focus attention on higher quality child care, parent awareness about their role in their child’s life, and a focus on the social and emotional needs of young children. Around this time, The Cincinnati Enquirer and other sources featured articles regarding the large number of preschool and kindergarten expulsions locally and nationally. (Gilliam, 2004)

The Consortium for Resilient Young Children was formed and received its first grant from the US Department of Education under the Early Learning Opportunities Act (ELOA) in 2005. Success by 6 was the fiscal and lead agency. The ELOA project was the stepping-stone for the development of an integrated model of mental health and early childhood services delivered in child care environments.

Key Accomplishments

  • Raised awareness regarding the importance of children’s early social emotional development.
  • Brought to the region high-quality programming designed to promote protective factors that buffer children and families from the long-term impacts of stress and adversity.
  • United Way of Greater Cincinnati nominated CRYC for its strong collaborative work to the United Way of America as a Promising Practice in 2009.
  • Highlighted local and national speakers on social and emotional well-being including: Dr. Barbara Boat, Dr. Toni Porter, Dr. John Kinsel, Paul Tough and Dr. Terrie Rose
  • Published support materials for parents and professionals including Parent Cards, Kindergarten Transition Calendars, and a Kindergarten Transition white paper.
  • Served on State-led groups in Ohio and Kentucky focused on promotion of children’s social and emotional well-being in early childhood settings. Also served on state-wide Strengthening Families implementation committees in Kentucky and Ohio.
  • Aligned and collaborated with other community initiatives such as Success by 6, Every Child Succeeds, Strive Partnership, Joining Forces for Children, Tristate Trauma Network, Strong Cincinnati and Kentucky Strengthening Families.
  • Convened local stakeholders to focus on specific issues and needs. Examples include the child welfare system, universities and colleges training early childhood and behavioral health professionals, and family-serving agencies to form the Northern Kentucky Strengthening Families Steering Committee.
  • Adopted two-generational practices as a cornerstone to promoting family and community resilience. Participated in training with the Aspen Institute.
  • In partnership with Joining Forces for Children, developed a screening process for assessing family stress and resilience. Published an article outlining this work in the Child Care Journal.

Timeline

2004

Mental Health and Early Childhood Professionals were convened by The Children’s Home of Cincinnati in response to increased needs for social emotional supports for young children in the region.

2005

Consortium for Resilient Young Children (CRYC) formed and received its first grant from the US Department of Education under the Early Learning Opportunities Act (ELOA). Success by 6 was the fiscal and lead agency.

2006
CRYC awarded a 3-Year Grant by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati
2007

Promoting Resilient Children (PRC) Program was launched, focusing on increasing the professional capacity of child-care staff to better support children’s social and emotional development while providing mental health interventions for children birth to age five. The Children’s Home of Cincinnati was the fiscal and lead agency.

2008
CRYC received a grant to launch a Strengthening Families Initiative in western communities of Hamilton County. Initiative focused on increasing the capacity of child care providers to promote family resilience. CRYC Strategic plan was developed with a focus on the following areas: capacity building, systems integration and parent engagement.
2014

Named a director to oversee the implementation of a formal strategic plan. Strengthening Families expanded to NKY and Clermont and Butler Counties in Ohio.

2018
CRYC launched the Resilient Children and Families Program (RCFP) which combined PRC, Strenghtening Families, and RCP into one program serving Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

Today

CRYC remains a collaborative of organizations providing early mental health and early care and education programming focused on advancing the social emotional wellness of children, families and the adults that care for them. A primary vehicle for accomplishing this goal is The Resilient Children and Families Program (RCFP).  Classified as a two-gen approach, RCFP provides training, coaching, and intervention services that support early childhood professionals’ capacity to promote children’s social-emotional well-being and alleviate family stress. Partnering with early care and education programs, home visitation and community partners in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, RCFP advances best practices that promote resiliency and protective factors.