What are Community Partnership Boards?
Community Partnership Boards are the working bodies of community leaders concerned with children’s issues. They are the networks around which gaps, strengths and needs in services to children, youth and families in communities may be identified using available reports, statistics, experiences and wisdom. Further, they provide leadership and advocacy for the provision of family-centered, community-based, culturally sensitive approaches to meeting the needs of Oklahoma’s children, youth and families. The boards also provide an opportunity for networking with many child advocates and service providers.
What do Community Partnerships do?
· communicate the needs of the families and children in our communities.
· coordinate the efforts of helping agencies and institutions to maximize results and minimize duplication.
· establish a community action plan that addresses unmet needs in the community.
· mobilize the community to identify the resources our communities offer.
· provide an avenue for recruiting participants from diverse constituencies (businesses, schools, public health agencies, churches and religious organizations, individuals and families.)
· develop solutions for the psychological, sociological, and cultural health of our children and youth.
· demonstrate widespread public support for issues and unmet needs.
· maximize the resources that improve the health and educational interests of all children, youth and families in our communities.
Where are the current Community Partnership Boards?
Click here to see a map of the community partnerships.
How do we become a Community Partnership?
To become an OCCY Community Partnership Board, a group would need to contact the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth and vote to become affiliated with the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth. The board would then begin to operate under the guidelines of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth. Some of those guidelines being:
· Conduct at least 4 meetings per year.
· Meetings must comply with the Open Meeting Act and must be inclusive of the community. A list of meetings must be sent to OCCY.
· Have a representative attend the Community Partnership Board state wide annual meeting.
· Develop or be in the process of developing, a local strategic plan
General requirements for the formation of Community Partnership District Boards are outlined in state statute 10 O.S. § 601.11.
How can OCCY help our coalition?
Here are seven ways we can help:
1. Community Assessment
The OCCY Community Assessment will assist communities in identifying needs and problem areas (especially useful for Grant RFP’s):
Socio-economic data
Socio-ethnic data
Crime statistics
School report card and educational data
2. Community Resource Guide
Local resource guides may be added to a new Joint Oklahoma Information Network (JOIN) for increased access to local and state services and agencies.
3. Mini-grants for Administrative Assistance
OCCY offers yearly funding streams that include Partners’ access to competitive mini-grants.
4. Technical Assistance
OCCY staff, using Group Facilitation Methods, may assist Partners in the development of consensus building, strategic action planning, and/or group vision.
5. Model Programs
School-based services is an initiative of OCCY and other collaborating agencies to offer increased staffing to local schools in the areas of nursing, behavioral health, and case management.
Positive Youth Development is a comprehensive community initiative to engage youth and families, state agencies, churches and government to work together and give tomorrow’s leaders a voice today.
6. Group Enrichment
Partners receive opportunities to participate in state level training that includes:
OCCY Annual Partnership Academy
OICA Kids Count Leadership Program
Other training events sponsored by DMHSAS, DHS, Health Department, etc.
7. State Level Representation
Planning staff will submit our Partners’ issues (by request) to OCCY Commissioners for consideration and possible action.
LOGIC MODEL
