The Cultural Exchange Inventory (CEI) is a 15-item instrument designed to measure the process (7 items) and outcomes (8 items) of exchanges of knowledge, attitudes and practices between members of different organisations collaborating in implementing evidence-based practice. We conducted principal axis factor analyses and parallel analyses of data…

Nearly a quarter of all undergraduate students in the U.S. are parents. All parents, especially younger parents and those returning to school after years in the workforce, face a system that was not designed to accommodate their needs as caretakers. The needs of student parents have become even more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has…

Community colleges are mission-driven institutions committed to access and community needs. They serve a diverse population: The majority of students are employed, so they have to balance work with school; about one-third are first-generation, so they are navigating an unfamiliar system for the first time in their families; and 15% are single…

Recent research has helped shift the national understanding of the opportunities presented by Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields, drawing attention to the large number of STEM jobs that require less than a Bachelor's degree. The data have also highlighted the critical importance of community colleges as a primary provider of…

This bulletin reports results from an evaluation of six sites of the Safe Kids/Safe Streets (SK/SS) program, which applies a comprehensive, collaborative approach to the child maltreatment field. The bulletin provides insights into collaboration building, systems reform, service options, and other strategies. Among the findings were that the SK/SS…

The upward economic flux of Pike County is having a dramatic impact on the traditional morals and values held by the established community. Drug availability has increased proportionately with improved highway systems, accessibility of money, and increasing numbers of youth with their own cars. Although 75% of the population live in isolated…

School districts are finding that demand for community use of school buildings and grounds is increasing. A 1995 series of focus groups explored implications for community access, including effects on facilities, scheduling, and educational programs. The most prevalent activities involved sports and recreation, day care, meetings, adult education,…

In 1988, the Head Start Bureau envisioned a system fostering collaboration among Head Start, child care, and early childhood community to meet the needs of eligible preschoolers not being served by Head Start. The National Head Start Association encourages the Head Start community to develop such collaborative programs. Programs in Missouri,…

A project created linkages in Service Delivery Area 12, Clermont and Warren Counties, Ohio, to improve services for welfare recipients. During the project, the original grant seed money of $22,000 grew to more than $220,000 in grants for cooperative programs. In addition, integral, completed linkage treaties were forged between various agencies…

The Richland County (Ohio) Welfare Coordination Project had three main goals: (1) to examine the roles, functions, and allowable service activities of each of four agencies involved in adult education, training, and job placement efforts; (2) to develop a systematic approach to the selection of service providers for clients; and (3) to develop…

The case studies contained in this document were developed as part of a national project to identify communities that have made substantial progress toward developing comprehensive, coordinated, community-based systems of care for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families. After initial identification,…

In too many communities, child care, health care, and other family supports and services are rarely coordinated and are too frequently determined by where families live, their level of income, and their community connections. Policy initiatives at the local, state, and federal level influence how communities are able to develop more…

This document highlights 101 partnerships developed as part of Ohio's welfare reform initiative, Ohio Works First (OWF). Section 1 deals with communication strategies: a new lexicon; interagency information exchange and confidentiality issues; intake, referral, and case management tools; and cross-agency communications. Section 2 describes…

Describes the findings of the Great Lakes Resource Access Project (RAP), whose purpose is to develop community collaborations among Head Start grantees, family service community agencies, and local education agencies. Presents 10 guidelines for establishing community partnerships, developing interagency agreements, and overcoming barriers. (SD)

In 1999, the Board of Commissioners of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, joined with 21 philanthropic foundations and private funders, as well as nearly 80 community service agencies, to form a public-private partnership that would launch an early childhood initiative, Invest in Children, as a comprehensive system of care focused on improving the…