Health Partnerships
AOK
AOKThe All Our Kids (AOK) Early Childhood Networks is a maternal-child program ensuring that all families with children under the age of five years receive needed services — from pre-natal care to well-baby checkups, parenting education to specialized services.

Recent studies have proven that 80% of what a child will ever learn, he/she learns before their third birthday.  That makes the experiences during every child's earliest days, months and years the most important experiences they will have in their lifetime. Working to assure that these experiences are positive ones is critical to the health and the future of our community. For this reason, public officials are expanding state and federal funding for a variety of early childhood programs.  But too many Illinois families with very young children either do not know about services available in the community or can't find anyone to provide the specific service they need.
Resources:
Local & State Services
Building Blocks
Parent Ed Information Pages
Stall Street Journals
Info for Kids (& Parents)
Text4Baby
ALL OUR KIDS (AOK): EARLY CHILDHOOD NETWORKS is a joint effort between the Illinois Department of Human Services, ten Illinois Health Departments, family members, the Ounce of Prevention Fund, and other local agencies serving very young children and their families.  This pilot project is designed to create a coordinated system in order to help families receive the services they need.
THE GOAL
The overall goal of the Networks is to ensure that all children under the age of five years and their families have the opportunity to receive the services they need, from pre-natal care to well-baby checkups to parenting education to specialized services, all to support the family and provide for the best and healthiest start possible for young children.
Who Is Involved In The Networks?
The specific makeup of the Networks will vary from pilot community to pilot community. Each of the ten community Networks includes a wide range of service providers as well as family members who are, or who could be, recipients of local services.
African American Chamber of Commerce
Association for Individual Development
Aunt Martha's Youth Services
Aurora Child Development
Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Aurora University School of Nursing
Child and Family Connections
DCFS
Hospitals
Jayne Shover Easter Seals
Kane County Health Department
Parents
Parent Support Groups
Physicians
Regional Office of Education
Tom Thumb Child Care
Two Rivers Head Start
School Districts U46, 129, 131
St. Nicolas Parish
VNA Health Care
Well Child Center
YWCAs of Aurora & Elgin
YWCA Child Care Resource
  and Referral
We continue to seek support from other providers, parents and community members and invite you to our meetings.
 
Meetings:
The AOK: Early Childhood Networks meets the last Thursday of each month (except as noted)
from 9 - 11 AM:
 
Video conferenced between
these two locations:
Aurora - 1240 N. Highland Ave.
Elgin - 1750 Grandstand Place
2013 Meeting Dates:
 
Contact Info:
Michelle Turner, MPH
Community Health Initiative Coordinator Kane County Health Department 630/232-5829

 
● Assesses the needs of very young children (younger than five years) and their families
● Links the children and their families to appropriate services
● Assists service providers in working together to close the gaps in services
● Informs others in the community about the needs of very young children and their families
● Explores the training needs of people who work with very young children and their families
● Evaluates the "systems" of services to find out if families have difficulties using the services and if these services meet the needs of young children and their families
● Provides leadership for policy development to assure the health of very young children and their families.
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is a key strategy of the Caring for Every Child’s Mental Health Campaign, which is part of the Public Awareness and Support Strategic Initiative by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.  In 2013, Awareness Day is Thursday, May 9. The effort seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development from birth.
Learn more about the National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day HERE
Aurora Children's Mental Health Day
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is celebrated by  AOK Partners
Aurora, above           Elgin, below
Elgin Children's Mental Health Day
 
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