"Welcome Baby" Focuses on Perinatal Health |
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The Every Child Thrives network is turning its attention to our community’s youngest and most vulnerable – infants.
Why invest? The most rapid and sensitive period of development begins before and immediately following birth. This period is defined as “perinatal.” The perinatal period sets the foundation for long-term health and wellbeing.
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Research and learning
The first step in making change is gathering the right community leaders around the table for a deep-dive into the data. Six regional organizations are convening to explore the data and determine strategies to address disparities.
Overall, the adequacy of prenatal care for Dodge and Jefferson Counties has declined slightly from 85% in 2016 to 82% in 2020. However, adequate prenatal care for our Hispanic population has trended steadily downward over the past five years.
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Evidence-based screening practices
Welcome Baby partners are focused on implementing evidence-based screening to better understand the needs of expectant families and how to connect them to the right resources.
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Partners include:
Advocacy
Welcome Baby partners are also actively advocating for better perinatal care for our region’s most vulnerable. Wisconsin doctors say extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year could help save lives. Wisconsin is one of just four states without plans to implement a full-year extension--currently coverage ends after just eight weeks.
On February 28th, the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (WIAAP) held an event at the State Capitol to draw attention to the issue. Welcome Baby coalition member Maria De La Luz Lira, a Jefferson County Public Health Nurse, ensured our region was represented by inviting her client, Antonia Raudez Martinez, and her children Francella (2 years old) and Franklin (5 months old).
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Maria explained the urgency to get patients appointments during this eight-week period. She also shared a client letter that detailed a struggle with eclampsia and postpartum depression. Antonia shared her lived experience as she struggled with medical complications well after the eight-week period and the resulting, overwhelming, medical bills. |
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Both women, accompanied by the Foundation's Susan Olson, shared their compelling experiences with a WIAAP audience. They then met with a staff member of Senator Jagler's office. Joining that meeting were Dr. Betsy Peterson of Community Pediatrics in Beaver Dam and Dr. Dipesh Navsaria.
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Foundation Welcomes Two New Board Members |
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The Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation is pleased to announce Steve Battenberg and Orlando Dominguez as new Foundation Board of Directors members.
Dominguez’s passion for helping others grow, and his strong commitment to advocacy, spurred his interest in the work of the Foundation. He has lived in the Watertown, Wisconsin area for almost two decades and found ways to give back to youth, including his current role as a WIAA Basketball Official and previous licensure as a substitute teacher.
Battenberg is a partner at Carlson Black O'Callaghan & Battenberg LLP, a real estate and business-focused law firm located in Madison, Wisconsin. With extensive experience representing nonprofit corporations of varying size, he has worked closely with tax-exempt entities on organizational and tax compliance issues. He currently serves as general counsel to multiple trade associations and charitable organizations.
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Early Care and Education Updates |
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Every Child Thrives partners continue to work to make great early learning opportunities available for all children. We are providing updates on two strategic initiatives that fall under the Early Care and Education umbrella: helping grow access to quality childcare and bolstering the early education workforce.
Why invest? Early education is a powerful place to invest resources because nearly 90 percent of brain growth takes place during the first five years of life. Studies from all over the world demonstrate major short- and long-term benefits, including progress in school, increased earnings, and reductions in antisocial behavior and welfare participation.
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Small business startup support
The increasing cost of childcare has more parents of young children, churches, businesses, and community organizations considering the benefits of opening their own childcare business. The demand for care is there: there are more than three children waiting for every available slot in Dodge and Jefferson Counties. Once they dig into the process, however, would-be business owners begin to realize how complex the regulations can be. This article from the Appleton Post-Crescent highlights the journey.
The Foundation has partnered with the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) to provide no-cost startup assistance. It's easy to access, you get one-on-one coaching from an expert, and you may even qualify for financial assistance. Interested? Please contact Jill Van Sickle at jvansickle@watertownhealthfoundation.com.
The work of Every Child Thrives partners--startup coaching and assistance--resulted in 166 new childcare slots in 2023: one new center and two expansion projects. In 2024, there are already three projects in progress with area churches.
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Celebrating Madison College student success
Last fall, the Foundation launched a 3-year partnership with Madison College's Watertown Campus to offer free early childhood classes that includes a pathway to scholarship-supported (no-cost) associate’s and/or bachelor’s degrees in Early Education. We are so pleased to report that classes continue to be full, and we have four Watertown-area students who completed all three courses needed for basic childcare certification.
More information about the pathway is here in video format.
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We recently caught up with three of those successful Madison College students.
Elizabeth Goehl (left) currently works at Good Shepherd, teaching 3K to 2nd grade. Her new certification will allow her to work with even younger children in their daycare program. She spoke of learning more about child development and applying her new skills on the job.
Melinda Hartline (center) runs her own in-home childcare business, and plans to use her certification to move to a job with a larger childcare center being started by a family member.
Angela Sisulak (right) currently works for Watertown Unified School District and plans to move on and earn her Bachelor's Degree, with the intention of helping the community and being better able to support the District's early education program.
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Small Business Support at the Collective |
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Call Ronald Chisolm to schedule an appointment: 262-472-7039
SBDC is a nationally accredited statewide network supporting entrepreneurs and business owners through no-cost, confidential consulting and business education.
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Now Accepting Grant Applications
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- Research and development, needs assessments, feasibility studies and strategic planning
- Quality improvement to help organizations become more efficient and effective, including Board and leadership development, technical skills, and fundraising strategies
- Grant writing for multi-sector initiatives that support children and families
Community Collaboration Grants support collaborative efforts that build a sense of connectedness between people or create/enhance community spaces where individuals can be active together.
Health Equity Grants support equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) projects or initiatives focused on removing obstacles to health for populations not well served under current systems and policies.
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We empower community change leaders with the tools they need to build strong families and thriving communities, helping local organizations learn, grow, collaborate, and move their missions further. |
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The Foundation provides resources, tools and support to changemakers who work toward measurable improvement in community health. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $42.7 million in its three strategic, child-focused priorities: Strong Families, Kindergarten Readiness and School Success. |
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Leadership and Learning: Kudos to Foundation-Supported Partners and Staff |
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Thrive Economic Development has announced that Ixonia Bank has committed $1.5 million to the Live Local Development Fund, and Jefferson County has increased its investment in the fund by another $1 million. With the Foundation’s initial $2 million investment, the fund now totals $5.5 million which will be used to loan low interest capital to support housing development in Jefferson County. The team’s initial goal was to raise $5 million for the fund. That goal being met, ThriveED has set a new goal of raising $10 million to support housing development.
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We could not be more thrilled to receive the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce Award for EPIC Nonprofit at their annual dinner. Thank you SO MUCH for the recognition, and for being a great partner in supporting Watertown. Pictured with the award are Foundation Board Members Karla Mullen, Nate Salas and Randall Phelps.
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Pictured are Nora Hernandez (Bilingual Parent Educator) and Stephanie Curtis (Executive Director) from Watertown Family Connections and Jill Van Sickle (the Foundation's Early Childhood Learning Coordinator and Coach). These women shared their expertise at "Fulfilling the Promise," UW-Milwaukee's annual conference for early childhood professionals. Their talk was "Honoring Culture While Building Relationships with Families."
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On February 26th - 27th, 2024, the Foundation joined nonprofit, private, and public leaders for a convening hosted by Ascend at the Aspen Institute, which works to advance two-generation (2Gen) approaches across the state of Wisconsin. Photo is courtesy of Ascend and their photographer, RJ Harris Photography.
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Thank you to everyone who took time to attend the "Biology of Trauma" training, and a special thanks to facilitator Ricky Ferrari Traner. The Foundation-sponsored session focused on navigating adversity by exploring the biological and behavioral effects of traumatic experiences and was geared toward those who work with children and families. |
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Kudos to Watertown Family Connections for piloting the NEW Triple P Informed Workshop, Developing Healthy Screentime Habits and Routines (Toddlers & Preschoolers). This new workshop is now available for staff who are approved facilitators to begin implementing statewide. PowerPoint, Exercises, Parenting Plan, and a Screentime Handouts are available in English and currently being translated to Spanish. To learn more please use this link.
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A freshly redesigned website provides the most up-to-date look at the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, providing background, strategy, and results on the priorities identified by the Every Child Thrives network. We hope you'll find this reinvigorated resource useful.
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The Wisconsin Office of Children's Mental Health is offering a free virtual training on bias by national presenter Judge Derek Mosley on March 25, 2024, 10:30 am to noon. The event is open to any professionals or lived experts who want to learn more about bias and how to mitigate it in daily life. Space will fill up fast. Use this link to register.
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What We're Reading (click on the links to access)
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The Better Life Lab is a newer national organization that develops “narratives” that help social change. We're linking to the "Conclusions" page of their report on child care.
This updated Fact Sheet focuses on Infant and Toddler health, sharing research, resources and updates on what's happening in our state.
Each year, the National Governors Association (NGA) welcomes the nation’s Governors to Washington, D.C., for the annual NGA Winter Meeting. During the three-day meeting, Governors discuss issues most pertinent to the states and territories and connect with national experts. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte sharing that “[housing] is the number one issue facing working families.”
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920.390.4000
672 Johnson Street, Suite 300, Watertown WI 53094
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