Our Impact

First 1,000 Days Suncoast has grown and matured in ways we could never have imagined.  Similar to raising a child, it truly takes a village to develop and maintain a multi-sector collaborative.

We are grateful to our village.

 

Our Impact So Far

First 1,000 Days Suncoast envisions a safe, healthy, caring, and culturally sensitive community that helps newborns thrive and children to achieve their full potential.  Five key components drive its vision. These components provide a framework for the initiative giving intentional structure and flexibility for creative projects to impact the system of care.

Integrative Activities

The initiative has increased its partners from 32 organizations in 2018 to more than 85 organizations and programs in 2022. 81% of service providers were introduced to new organizations through this work, and 89% agreed that their organization benefits from being involved.

Partner Collaboration & Innovation

First 1,000 Days agencies reported a high trust in other First 1,000 Days partners in areas of: reliability, mission congruence, and openness to discussion. Half of First 1,000 Days members believed their partnerships improved the community’s capacity to address unmet social needs during the pandemic.

Parent Empowerment

Over 1,000+ Brain Builder Bags have been given to new families at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Parent knowledge on how communicating with the baby influences brain development went up 19.7 percent.

Targeted Services and Interventions

First 1,000 Days has invested in macro-level systematic and structural changes, its next focus will be working collaboratively with our partners to develop targeted services for parents of any race-, ethnicity-, or place-based disproportions. The development of the Plan of Safe Care was the first targeted intervention of the initiative.

Care Coordination

Sarasota Memorial has sent 2,093 referrals and helped 1,346 families get connected with services in the region as of December 2021.  80 percent of SMH Women and Children case managers feel confident families always or frequently get connected with services using Unite Us.

“Your contributions have led to a stronger social safety net for families and babies, and as a result children will be healthier, happier, and more resilient because of our collaboration. .”

— Michelle Kapreilian, Forty Carrots Family Center

 

Plan of Safe Care

 

The 12th Judicial Circuit Plan of Safe Care launched in December 2021. As program awareness increases and trust is gained, it is anticipated there will be an even larger impact.

  • Community collaboration: Fifteen organizations and parents with lived experience met monthly to develop the Plan of Safe Care workflow and protocols

  •  Family support and case management:  Safe Children Coalition (the hub for the Plans of Safe Care) has created 74 plans for families through their program since July 2021.

  • Prevention and knowledge: Leveraging its robust partnerships, the initiative has disseminated information about the POSC throughout the region.

  • Reduction in infant and child removals due to substance use:  By connecting pregnant individuals with substance use with support prenatally, it is anticipated more newborns will remain with their families.  Also, intensive support and care coordination will build parental resilience, fostering long-term recovery to reduce relapse and prevent future removals.