Whole Family Systems: Cohort 2
A Whole Family Systems Approach (Source: Ascend at the Aspen Institute)
Project Background
Cohort 2 of the Whole Family Systems (WFS) Initiative is a 5-year joint partnership between eight local Minnesota governments, tribal nations, and nonprofits, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Future Services Institute (FSI). The initiative started in November 2019 and will continue through fall 2024.
This partnership is envisioned to be “a multi-year, co-created process intended to develop or expand upon 2-generation or whole family (child and caregiver) approaches.” It is built on Cohort 1, which consisted of four local sites that partnered with DHS and Minnesota Management and Budget in 2016, named the Minnesota 2-Generation Policy Network. Funding and support of Cohort 2 comes from three divisions within DHS: Economic Assistance and Employment Supports, Child Safety and Permanency, and Child Care Services.
Project Goals
All partners in the WFS Initiative are coming together for the following goals:
To improve and bring stability to the health and wellbeing of children and their families, especially in communities that have faced—and still face—significant adversities and disparities.
To lift up experiences and knowledge of communities and families, and co-create solutions that reduce, and ultimately remove, systemic barriers.
To develop a community of learning which includes local communities and tribal governments, state agencies, and other partners. In this community of learning, information flows in all directions and is equally valued.
While some of the changes that are expected to emerge includes tangible results such as policy changes, integrated programs, thoughtful methods of engagement, culturally significant practices, deeper resource investment, other changes are intangible such as better experiences for families and workers, stronger relationships between partners, collective knowledge on doing this important work together. The intention of the Initiative is to value all forms of outcomes in this work.
whole family systems - program structure for cohort 2
Program Structure
Grantor: Minnesota Department of Human Services awards eight Whole Family Systems Grants
Grantees: Each grantee organization serves young children and families in communities with significant racial, ethnic, economic, health, and education disparities. The grantees have programming focused on early childhood development or education readiness.
Teams
DHS and FSI staff work directly with the eight local sites - known as “site teams” on the graphic below. To help facilitate learnings the project is intended to be done through a human-centered design approach. The various teams listed below are formed to help achieve the stated project goals.
whole family system Cohort 2 teams
Year 1 (November 2019 - November 2020)
The first year focused on furthering understanding of the issue that grantees identified in their response to the RFP and develop possible approaches or solutions to this issue. Grantees were asked to explore a problem their community is experiencing in relation to the wellbeing of children and their families and, in partnership with DHS and FSI staff, co-create a way (or ways) to address the problem.