The Yamhill County Care Organization (CCO) Early Learning Hub [JC1] has been awarded full funding. The program is one of 12 applicants to receive full funding through the Oregon Department of Education Early Learning Division’s Early Literacy Grant process.
Yamhill CCO administers the Oregon Health Plan within the Yamhill County geographic area and is the backbone organization for the Early Learning Hub.
Early Learning Hubs are being formed across the state of Oregon to:
- Improve kindergarten readiness
- Support stable and attached families
- Establish coordinated and efficient systems of early childhood development.
Some Early Learning Hubs share this vision with Coordinated Care Organizations, such as Yamhill CCO.
The partnership is building a holistic system of care through collaboration between medical providers, early learning providers and school districts. Together, these organizations focus on prevention, intervention, and early education as a means to create the best outcomes for children.
“Our goal is to make sure the population we’re serving has the appropriate mental physical and oral health at a young age, and their families as well, so they are healthy when they start school,” says Jim Carlough, Yamhill CCO chief executive officer. “Also, it allows us to promote health and wellness and get them thinking about their health at an earlier age. That will pay dividends in the short term and the long term for both learning and the health of the community.”
The Early Literacy Grant is a component of the Oregon Early Reading Program, established by the Oregon Legislature in 2013. Its purpose is to improve children’s early literacy skills in order to increase readiness for kindergarten, close opportunity and achievement gaps, and ensure that all children are reading on grade level by the end of third grade.
“Having school districts, early learning providers, and health care organizations committed to improving third-grade reading proficiency will have a positive impact on all of our children in Yamhill County,” said Kyra Donovan. Donovan is director of Elementary and Federal Programs for McMinnville School District and co-chair of the local Early Learning Council.
Yamhill CCO’s Early Learning Hub will receive $90,811. Project components include investments in:
Reach Out and Read program in local pediatric practices, supporting and expanding current Read and Feed activities in local community kitchens, funding open public school libraries during summer feeding programs, distributing early literacy information to families, and purchasing books for distribution to agencies working with Yamhill County’s most vulnerable populations.
- For more information about Yamhill County Care Organization, contact Jim Carlough,[email protected].
- For information about Yamhill CCO’s Early Learning Hub and the Early Literacy Grant, contact Michele Bergeron, [email protected].
