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PRESS RELEASE: MCCOY Hires Staff to Focus on Early Intervention & Prevention Initiative

9/22/2009

Download Informational Sheet to Learn More about MCCOY's EIP Initiative.

Indianapolis, IN--Common sense and research indicate that addressing risk factors in a child's life as comprehensively and early as possible can make the critical difference in changing the outcome for that child and his family.  Responding to the urgent need to prevent and intervene before a family reaches a state of crisis that may require involvement of the Child Welfare or Juvenile Justice systems, the Marion County Early Intervention Planning Council (EIPC) selected the Marion County Commission on Youth  (MCCOY) as the lead organization to coordinate the Early Intervention and Prevention (EIP) initiative. The EIP initiative will expand access to and improve the quality, coordination, and range of programs and services available to families and youth in Marion County.  To drive this effort MCCOY has hired Shanna Malott, Early Intervention Community Coordinator, Connie Berg, Early Intervention Resource Development Officer, and Emily Chew, Early Intervention Assistant.
 
As the Early Intervention Community Coordinator, Ms. Malott will form and coordinate a steering committee of service providers, referral sources and other community partners to develop a strategic plan that will guide MCCOY's EIP initiative efforts through 2011. She will also develop and nurture strategic relationships with service providers to improve coordination and delivery of services while increasing community awareness of programs that support and promote healthy and stable families.
 
Ms. Malott has nearly fifteen years of experience working directly with youth and families involved in the child welfare, juvenile justice, education, and mental health systems.  She has held positions as a residential facility youth worker; counselor at an Indiana juvenile correctional facility; Director of Adoptions at a foster care and adoption agency in North Carolina; and, most recently, as a social worker for YouthBuild Indy.  The EIP initiative will benefit from her knowledge and experience in program implementation, grant writing, collaboration, and program quality and outcome assessment.  Ms. Malott has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from DePauw University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. 
 
As the Early Intervention Resource Development Officer, Ms. Berg will create, implement, and sustain resource development plans for the EIP initiative; develop a comprehensive and community-accessible inventory of state, federal and community resources; and identify and pursue grants and funding sources for early intervention and prevention efforts. 
 
Ms. Berg brings over a decade of non-profit experience in fundraising, youth development, early intervention and prevention services, and grants management.  She most recently worked at Kiwanis International where she researched major donor prospects and established an online donation program. She also spent two years writing grants for a variety of education, treatment, and employment programs. Ms. Berg has a Bachelor of Arts in English from UC Berkeley and a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies from IUPUI.
 
As the part-time Early Intervention Assistant, Ms. Chew will support the coordination and fundraising efforts of Ms. Malott and Ms. Berg.  Since 2001, Ms. Chew has done writing, research and event coordination for many Indianapolis non-profit organizations.  She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from DePauw University. 
 
The goal of EIP initiative is to reduce the number of youths and families that become involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice system.  EIP initiative is now fully staffed and ready to improve the outlook for youth and families in Marion County.

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Download this press release: (WORD)   (PDF)




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