Social Network Analysis for Early Childhood Councils of Colorado
Date: 1/1/2012 - 12/13/2015
Principal Researchers: Danielle Varda, Center on Network Science; Darrin Hicks, University of Denver; Jodi Hardin, Civic Canopy
Location: Colorado
Funding: Colorado Trust, CO Department of Human Services, CO Department of Public Health and the Environment
The Early Childhood Councils in Colorado were legislated to support systems building and develop relationships that improve services and better coordinate resources for children and their families. As part of a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) effort, a Social Network Analysis was conducted to identify system relationships and develop an evidence base for systems building efforts.
With support from the Colorado Department of Human Services, the Center on Network Science team met with Early Childhood Councils (ECC) in MIECHV (CDPEH) or Health Integration (CO Trust) funded communities to identify members of the early childhood system, develop a map of the “ideal” system, and participate in data collection to assess system relationships. The ECC Coordinator from each community served as the point of contact to coordinate a stakeholder meeting and administer a survey to ECC members.
The survey combines the PARTNER survey with the Process Quality/Working Together survey already administered to the ECCs. Each community received a Personalized Coalition Evaluation/Assessment and recommendations for actions steps to engage in systems building.