In 2022, DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) was named the backbone agency for the DECC. In the same year, the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development awarded DCHD the AOK grant. To best support early childhood initiatives in DuPage County, AOK and DECC merged to form DuPage AOK Early Childhood Collaboration (DAECC) in 2023.
Among the initial organizations involved were YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Teen Parent Connection, Metropolitan Family Services, DuPage County Health Department, DuPage Regional Office of Education, and DuPage Federation on Human Services Reform.
Together, DAECC and Birth to Five Illinois will advocate for the needs of families in DuPage County.
Region 19 Reports:
Early Childhood Regional Needs Assessment highlights data and stories from community members across the Region. It includes strengths, family and community identified needs, and recommendations for how to make our local Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services more accessible and equitable.
Addendum includes community feedback captured as the Regional Team and Action and Family Councils shared the initial report’s findings throughout the Region.
Action Plan focuses on the top priorities from our Region’s initial ECEC needs assessment. Council members developed Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals for each recommendation and plans to fulfill them.
Early Childhood Needs Assessment: Focus on Mental & Behavioral Health features stories from families and ECEC providers about the challenges and successes they have accessing Mental and Behavioral Health services.
DuPage All Our Kids Early Childhood Collaboration brings stakeholders together to facilitate the development of strategic relationships and high-quality services that are responsive to change and ultimately result in improved developmental outcomes for all young children (birth to age 8) and their families.
