Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Plan - Alaska Department ...

A qualified workforce is needed to meet the needs of young children and their families. Expertise in
early childhood in a variety of fields such as early care and learning, mental health, family support
and parenting education is stretched far too thin. As Alaska’s economy continues to grow, we will
need even more well-trained and educated early care and learning professionals if we are to provide
quality early learning environments. As we continue to see more and more issues identified in
young children that are related to poor outcomes, we will need to have services providers trained in
supporting this age group.
In 2005, it was estimated that 7.6 percent (50,438) of Alaska’s population (663,661) was under 5
years old. Despite the significance of these early years and the impact they will have on the future
of Alaska’s children and the state as a whole, insufficient public support is directed toward ensuring
positive outcomes for this age group.
The information that follows is organized by the following sections: Early Childhood
Infrastructure, Medical Home and Access to Medical Care, Mental Health and Social Emotional
Development, Early Care and Learning, and Family Support and Parent Education. Each section
provides some information on the children in Alaska, the needs and gaps in our early childhood
system, and the outcomes, goals, and strategies that are in the ECCS Plan.
ALASKA’S EARLY CHILDHOOD COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM
VISION AND MISSION
The Vision of the Alaska Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Plan is to build
and implement a statewide early childhood comprehensive system that supports
families and communities in their development of children who are healthy and
ready to learn at school entry.
The ECCS Mission is to promote positive development and improved health
outcomes for Alaska’s children prenatal to 8 by creating a culturally responsive,
comprehensive and accessible service delivery system that links service providers,
empowers families, and engages communities.
EARLY CHILDHOOD INFRASTRUCTURE
Although Alaska has a number of extensive and significant multi-system efforts currently taking
place, there has been fragmentation of these efforts, and no single point at which these efforts for
early childhood coalesce. Early childhood programs for young children are found in a variety of
state departments and divisions, tribal organizations, and private service organizations and offices.
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Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Plan 8