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Trying Together was one of 18 early childhood organizations to receive state mini-grants for $200,000 in November.

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The Pennsylvania Key, on behalf of the state’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), awarded the Rapid Response Team grants to begin a six-month planning with six months implementation or a one-year grant implementation starting in January. The grant will support an approach that has emerged in several Pennsylvania communities to provide a Rapid Response Team to support a child, family, and educator when a child is at risk of being suspended or expelled.

Trying Together will use the OCDEL grant to expand the services currently provided by the existing Rapid Response Team in Allegheny County. Funding from the grant will be used to hire additional staff to respond within 24 hours of a referral; to provide program- and classroom-wide support such as mentoring and coaching, technical assistance, and professional development; and to increase the number of functional behavior assessments based on the needs of the child.

ELRC Region 5’s Rapid Response Team will continue to refer families and educators to additional services such as Early Intervention and Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH).

Early Learning Connections in Butler received the grant in ELRC Region 3 and Engage Kidz LLC in Murrysville received the grant in ELRC Region 4. 

About Rapid Response

Rapid Response Teams enhance the system of support available within the state’s early childhood system. The teams include behavioral health professionals, Early Intervention professionals and ELRC staff.

The program is a piloted, short-term triaging support to enhance the early childhood system of support in each ELRC region in the state, which also include quality coaching, IECMH and School-Age Child Care, focused mental health consultation, Early Intervention services and supports, and home visiting.

To learn more about Rapid Response Team implementation mini-grants, visit the PA Keys website.