Engaging Communities to Reduce Poverty and Build Opportunity
Editor's Notes
Donna Welcome to "Using Technology to Reach Families with Age-paced Parenting Information. I'm DDY family living programs in Oconto County. My county colleagues include Nan Baumgartner in Fond du Lac county and Barbara Stoffel-Emde in Racine county. We are joined by Carol Ostergren our State Specialist. We are delighted to be here to share a new economic method of delivering a proven parent education tool. At the end we have allowed 5-10 minutes for Q&A.
DONNA:
Donna:Partnership with Oconto County DDHS- PH Division. PH mails first issue in their new babies packet. We report to both the UWEX and DHHS boards. 1 Kiwanis Club, Request donations annually. Have had hospital, physicians, credit unions, etc donate. Assembled at our Currrative Workshop. Mailed from UWEX. UWEX maintains the mailing list. We have 1 small Kiwanis club who contributes $300/year Newsletter supported by donations. There are no budgeted County funds for this project. We have been victims of the economy as well. Donations are not coming in as they have in the past. We are exploring options such as giving the parents a chance to pay $10 for their annual newsletter and/or sponsor 1 or more other families. Of course we hope most will opt for the electronic delivery. But, we realize we will never be able to change to electronic delivery only. Many families do not have access or the funds to pay. We will continue to ask for donations.
Donna:We surveyed parents at our play groups and at Child Development Days this spring. This was not a scientific survey. This was a small survey, but gave us a flavor for how parents were feeling.38 called us asking to be changed to e-delivery This enables us to remove them from the mailing list $310 donated for hard copy delivery for others We don't know how many of our families changed over on their own
NAN:Welcome to Fond du Lac County – we have a similar PFY/PSTY experience as Oconto
NAN:We have been doing the project since 1993 for PFYStarted out for just first time parents, but after the evaluation impacts – expanded to all parents
Nan:In 1997 we offered the PSTY newsletter on subscription basis, then received funding to make it more accessible to all.
Nan
Barbara:Rural – west of I-94, approx. 500 births per year (hospital delivering newsletter by mail)Urban – East I-94, approx. 2000 births per year, (hospital discontinued mailing newsletter--late 1980s or early 90s)Urban Racine County has one of the highest infant mortality rates in WI and the nation
Barbara: (picture of Advisory Team)2007 – advisory team meets to bring “Parenting the First Year” to urban Racine CountyHealth Dept. delivery to ALL families with newborns w/stamped, postcard attached
Barbara: (Picture of Racine County Exec)Initiative to go “wireless” in Racine County; concept supported electronic delivery of newsletter
Barbara: (Afr. Am. Mom & Baby)Choose to mail in postcard or register on-line;Over 400 families receive newsletter each month12th issue contains survey w/stamped return envelope
Barbara: (Hispanic mom & baby)1st issue distributed by hospital, WIC clinicsPostcard offers Spanish + English; promotes literacy
Barbara:Enter e-mail, month, date, yearWebsite – added zip code in 2009
Barbara:Links to all collaborating agencies…
Carol:This is what an email announcement would look like when it arrives in the parents inbox.