Upcoming Event: Free public lecture discusses infant and toddler welfare

On Tuesday, May 10, from noon to 1pm, a free public presentation sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Office of Planning, Research and Statistics and the University of Oklahoma Center for Public Management will examine the child welfare system. The event, titled “Making the Invisible Visible: The Real Cost of Child Welfare for Infants and Toddlers in Oklahoma,” will be held at the Oklahoma History Center (800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73105).

This session will examine the real cost of child welfare—both for families and our society as a whole—when the early mental health needs of infants and toddlers are not considered and prioritized from a promotion-prevention lens. Challenges and gaps within the child welfare system will be addressed as well as strategies to mitigate these challenges across the early childhood system of care. The lecture is free and open to the public. Click here to register.

Janice Im, Chief Program Officer of ZERO TO THREE will be the speaker for the event. Im brings over 16 years of knowledge, experience, and responsibility in the area of early childhood care, education and professional development and services to vulnerable children and families. As ZERO TO THREE’s Chief Program Officer, Im is responsible for oversight of ZERO TO THREE’s Western Office and Program division. Im is co-author of “I’m Here for you Now,” a children’s book for families who are experiencing trauma. She is also co-author of the nationally recognized training curriculum, Cradling Literacy: Building Teachers’ Skills to Nurture Early Language and Literacy.

Oklahoma Department of Human Services attendees will receive 20 percent off purchases at the Winnie Mae Cafe. Please arrive early or call in your order at (405) 522-2321 if you plan to purchase lunch. Outside food is prohibited by the Oklahoma History Center. For more information, contact the OKDHS Office of Planning, Research and Statistics at 405-521-3552.