Innovation Grant - Outcomes Report_Year 1 Final

2021
Innovation Grants
Inaugural Outcomes Report

Introduction
Smart Start of Mecklenburg County is known for allocating state,
county, and private funds to local early childhood serving agencies.
To increase impact and innovation, in the spring of 2021, Smart Start
of Mecklenburg County granted over $115,000 in one-time funding for
innovative projects addressing gaps in services for families and
children ages birth to five.
The grants focused on rapid cycle, evidence-based or evidenceinformed
projects that will lead to the identification of outcome
disparities for vulnerable families and the fall-out of pandemic
response on preschool-aged children.
INAUGURAL
I N N O V A T I O N G R A N T O U T C O M E S R E P O R T

Grant Recipients
Atrium Health Foundation
Bridging Healthcare and Community Settings for
Infant Health
Charlotte Bilingual Preschool
Reading Bridge
Myers Park Pediatrics
At-risk Newborn Intervention
National Black Child Development
Institute
Addressing Exclusionary Practices in Early
Childhood Education Using a Systems Change
Approach
INAUGURAL
I N N O V A T I O N G R A N T O U T C O M E S R E P O R T

2021 Innovation Grant
Highlights
Atrium Health Foundation
Bridging Healthcare and Community
Settings for Infant Health
Overview
Atrium Health Foundation seeks to identify root causes of
racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality in
Mecklenburg County by evaluating current services and
programs for infants and families, convening stakeholders
and identifying opportunities to address social
determinants of health.
Babies born to Black mothers in Mecklenburg County are nearly
2 times more likely to die before their 1st birthday than babies
born to White mothers.
2x
Convened the following to identify causes and conditions:
26
stakeholders
26
mothers
They identified the following:
15
areas for
improved
caregiving
across
5 domains
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Access to Care
Care Delivery & Education
Community Linkages
Culturally Competent
Care Risk Assessment
INAUGURAL
I N N O V A T I O N G R A N T O U T C O M E S R E P O R T

2021 Innovation Grant
Highlights
Charlotte Bilingual Preschool
Reading Bridge
Overview
In partnership with Read Charlotte, Charlotte Bilingual
Preschool piloted Reading Bridge, a language program
providing peer-supported at-home literacy activities for
isolated, Spanish-speaking families. Reading Bridge utilizes
Read Charlotte’s Reading Checkup, adapted for Pre-K
and Spanish.
38
children who were not enrolled due to COVID-19
were served.
83%
of participant caregivers saw their children practicing
literacy skills daily.
12%
increase in parents belief in their ability to support their
child’s literacy development.
93%
would recommend the Reading Bridge program to
other families.
INAUGURAL
I N N O V A T I O N G R A N T O U T C O M E S R E P O R T

2021 Innovation Grant
Highlights
Myers Park Pediatrics
At-risk Newborn Intervention
Overview
Myers Park Pediatrics’ pilot program provides a ‘warm hand
off’ from hospital to pediatric practice for mother-baby
dyads to improve clinic show rate, parent access to
resources, rate of immunizations and well-child checks, and
communication with primary care providers focused on the
health and well-being of this cohort of newborns.
3,300
newborns are seen each year, 11% of which are
considered high-risk.
2
hours of social worker time allocated to each high-risk dyad
(14 in experiment group, 10 in control).
180
additional hours of social work time could serve all the high
risk families currently being seen at Myers Park Pediatrics in
a given year.
46%
increase in clinic attendance by experiment group .
increased vaccination rate of babies by 19%
85% received some short-term counseling
The MSW was able to connect mothers with 23 different
programs for needed services
4 were given parenting help
1 victim of human trafficking saved

2021 Innovation Grant
Highlights
National Black Child Development
Institute
Addressing Exclusionary Practices in Early
Childhood Education Using a Systems
Change Approach
Overview
National Black Child Development Institute, Charlotte
Chapter, investigated implicit bias and exclusionary
practices in early childhood settings through facilitated
community conversations.
Problem
Black children make up 19% of preschool enrollment but
47% of suspensions vs. white students making up 41% of
preschool enrollment but only 28% of suspensions .
3
awareness campaign methods were used:
1.
2.
3.
Focus groups
Distributed Surveys
Listening Sessions
To reach the following populations:
15 childcare centers
2 GS-110 centers
37 family childcare homes
141 parents/caregivers
With the following results:
Only 6% of CC’s had a policy
addressing
suspensions/expulsions
47% of CCs reported expelling
a child (ages 3-5) in the last 5
years
80% of CCs reported removing
children (ages 3-5) with
challenging behaviors from
class
Only 8% of FCHs use a
disciplinary tracking system