All Our Kids (AOK)
Bureau of Maternal and Infant Health
Division of Community Health & Prevention
Illinois Department of Human Services

Fact Sheets List

Program Page

Program Description

Target

Families with young children (including families who are expecting a child) in select communities.

Purpose

To create a seamless early childhood system of services and ensure that all families with young children are aware of and have the opportunity to receive the services they need, provide a skilled workforce, promote strength-based practices and facilitate parent leadership.

Services

Community assessment, planning, provider training, parent leadership and systems coordination to better organize and offer strength-based services for families with young children.

Delivery Method

The AOK Networks are community-based collaborative efforts among family members, DHS, local health departments, and other local agencies that serve families with young children. Thirteen programs serve the following counties: Adams, Kane, Macon, McLean, St. Clair, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermilion, and Wabash/Edwards, Will, as well as one in the Greater Westside of Chicago and the Town of Cicero in Cook County.

Program Data

SFY 06 SFY 07 SFY 08 SFY 09
Grant Amount (Numbers in 000's) $957.0 $959.5 $1,116.2 $1,116.2
Number of Grantees 10 10 10 10

Program Effectiveness

The AOK Networks are an innovative solution to the problem of linking and integrating programs that address different facets of early childhood development. The focus is on developing a comprehensive service delivery system that meets families' needs. The networks have:

  • conducted community assessments to identify existing local resources and family needs.
  • convened regular parent and provider meetings to share information about service needs and appropriate community responses.
  • developed and broadly distributed over 12,000 directories of community services annually for young children and their families.
  • worked with community partners to increase the number of developmental screenings available to young children and their families.
  • involved businesses and the faith communities in identifying families with young children in need of services.
  • improved coordination of care and referral systems to ensure timely and appropriate referrals to needed services.
  • worked to provide public education messages that highlight important information to over 17,000 families a year with young children.
  • identified service providers' continuing education needs.
  • worked with local community colleges and others to improve training opportunities for providers who work with young children.