Re-Wiring Family Policies with Brain Science
October 11, 2017 | Research and Data
On Thursday, September 28, Ascend hosted the Brain Science and Positive Parenting roundtable discussion to discuss the latest research and jumpstart action on behalf of family mental health. The roundtable brought together over 30 leaders across brain science, positive parenting approaches, direct-service programs, and policy to explore opportunities and challenges to applying new research to innovations in moving parents toward health and opportunity. This convening is part of an ongoing partnership with the Ford Foundation to increase understanding about and support for positive parenting interventions, and builds on July’s strategic conversation on maternal depression and positive parenting.
Ascend Fellow Dr. Sarah Watamura of the University of Denver and Ascend Network Partner Dr. Megan Smith of The New Haven Mental Health Outreach for MotherS (MOMS) Partnership shared powerful research and lessons learned from brain science and applied programs on parenting. Read more in Two Open Windows: Infant and Parent Neurobiologic Change, by Drs. Pilyoung Kim and Watamura.
A sense of urgency energized the room as federal, state, and community leaders shared how brain science research has been woven into family programs and services, highlighting the successes and challenges faced.
- Lili Elkins, Chief Strategy Officer at Roca, Inc., gave an overview of Roca’s model that works with very high-risk, young, single mothers;
- Ruthie Liberman, Vice President for Public Policy at Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath), previously known as Crittenton Women’s Union, discussed EMPath’s efforts to inject brain science into its economic stability framework and assessment;
- Darius Tandon, Associate Professor at the Medical Social Sciences Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University, shared outcomes of the Mothers and Babies program; and
- Amanda Innes Dominguez, Team Lead for Policy and Technical Assistance at the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), gave an overview of the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV)
Some successes and recommendations discussed include: building cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) into job readiness programs, using paraprofessionals when possible, and initiating data sharing agreements among like-minded partners.
Ascend looks forward to bringing together a small group of leaders and experts in November 2017 to sift through the valuable data, insights, and recommendations stemming from this discussion and previous convenings on brain science to produce an actionable report for partners, policymakers, and community leaders.
Related Posts
We are delighted to share a new research report in partnership with Child Trends: Data on Families with Low Incomes Across America Can Inform Two-Generation Approaches. In this new analysis, research experts Elizabeth Wildsmith and Marta Alvira-Hammond paint a detailed picture of how families in households with low incomes in the United States have changed …
Data on Families With Low Incomes Across America Read More »
Ascend at the Aspen Institute and The Jed Foundation Release a New Mental Health Framework with Recommendations for Supporting the Mental Health of Students Who Are Parents Washington, DC – A new study released today by Ascend at the Aspen Institute (Ascend) and The Jed Foundation (JED) finds that more than two in five (43 percent) …
Infant and parent brains and bodies undergo rapid growth and transformation during the transition to parenting, presenting a unique opportunity to positively impact two generations. In the 2015 report Two Open Windows: Infant and Parent Biologic Change, Drs. Pilyoung Kim and Sarah Watamura (also an Ascend Fellow) of the University of Denver highlighted research supporting …
New Research Shows Parenting Brain Changes in All Caregivers Read More »
This blog is part of Ascend’s Impact Series: stories and stats that illustrate the powerful, tangible impact a two-generation (2Gen) approach can have in building prosperity and opportunity for families. Talking with babies and infants can feel one-sided for many parents. But according to Agape Child and Family Services (Agape), conversations with young children are proven pathways …
This blog is part of Ascend’s Impact Series: stories and stats that illustrate the powerful, tangible impact a two-generation (2Gen) approach can have in building prosperity and opportunity for families. The Northwestern University Two-Generation Research Initiative, co-directed by Lindsay Chase-Lansdale and Teresa Eckrich Sommer, and a team of researchers from across the country (see list below) have …
Impact Series: Building 2Gen Proof Points with New Research on CAP Tulsa Read More »
The racial wealth gap is well-documented and undisputedly real. The median white family has 41 times more wealth than the median African-American family and 22 times more wealth than the median Latino family. And things are getting worse, not better: The proportion of black families with zero or negative wealth rose by 8.5 percent to …
Real solutions for closing the very real racial wealth gap Read More »
According to 2018 election eve survey research by Lake Research Partners, two-generation programs have seen increasing public support since 2012 across party lines. In the most recent survey, 86 percent of Americans believe that if we want to make sure children from families with low incomes are successful in their early learning, then we also …
Survey: Americans increasingly support two-generation programs for families Read More »