The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) announces another Trauma Responsive Care Grant funding cycle for community-based organizations across Georgia.
These grants of $10,000 each will enable local organizations to pilot or expand programs that increase community understanding of how early childhood trauma can impact future learning and development of children. The grants will also assist communities in building effective networks of leaders focused on identifying and understanding the needs of children in their communities who may have had adverse childhood experiences.
Selected grantees will be expected to develop a cross-sector collaborative of local leaders, including six to ten community stakeholders from various organizations such as the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS), local law enforcement, Georgia Family Connection Collaboratives, Georgia’s Pre-K programs, Head Start programs, local child care programs, local school systems, local Community Service Boards (CSBs), and Resilient Georgia Regional Grantee Coalitions. Each collaborative will participate in training to support a collective understanding of how early childhood trauma can impact children’s future learning and development. Additionally, grantee organizations and their partners will be expected to develop a strategic plan to respond to the needs of children experiencing trauma for the birth to 5 population. Grantees also will be expected to disseminate local resources and materials related to trauma-focused strategies and interventions to families, childcare providers, schools, and other service providers.
This is the second year that DECAL has made these opportunities available to communities across Georgia. Funding for the grants was made possible by the $11.2 million Preschool Development Renewal Grant that Georgia received in January 2020 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education.
“We look forward to utilizing this federal funding to supplement our ongoing efforts to increase access for Georgia’s youngest learners and their caregivers to these important resources,” said DECAL Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs. “Through these grants, we will support communities in developing holistic strategies to improve child well-being and mental health.” The grant term for the upcoming funding cycle runs from August 15, 2022 until August 14, 2023.
The 2022 Trauma Responsive Care Grant application is posted on the DECAL website at https://decal.smapply.us/prog/trauma-responsive_care_grants/. Questions related to the application should be directed to communityimpactgrants@decal.ga.gov. Applications must be submitted by June 15, 2022.
About DECAL
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia’s Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers Georgia’s Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program, federal nutrition programs, and manages Quality Rated, Georgia’s community powered child care rating system.
The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and collaborates with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education. For more information, go to decal.ga.gov .
Contact:
Reg Griffin
DECAL Communications Director
404-656-0239
reg.griffin@decal.ga.gov
Bill Valladares
GaFCP Communications Director
404-739-0043
william@ gafcp.org
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