Minnesota LTSAE, MNLEND & MN Latino Childcare Providers Collaboration

March 19, 2018

MNLEND Fellow, Alice Kraiza, housed in the ICI at the University of Minnesota, is collaborating with leaders of the Latino Childcare Providers Network (La Red), a Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) provider group based out of Richfield and Bloomington, Minnesota. La Red/The Network's Director, Ruth Evangelista, and Alice are developing a new training program on early developmental milestones and signs of Autism using "Learn the signs. Act Early." materials and resources for the wider Latinx FFN network. Per Evangelista, "I believe this training is a good for la Red.

The greatest contributions are to break the language barriers, understand what autism is in the Friend, Family and Neighbor community and how to go hand in hand with FFN providers." "Creo que este entrenamiento esta bien para la Red y la gran aportación es romper las barreras de lenguaje y entender que es el AUTISMO en la comunidad FFN y como ir de la mano con las familias amigos y vecinos." Alice is working closely on this project with guidance from both her MNLEND mentor, Dr. Robin Rumsey, and Dr. Jennifer Hall-Lande, MNLEND Faculty and Act Early Ambassador to Minnesota.

Since fall 2017, Alice has contributed Minnesota LTSAE materials, as well as assisted in designing a business plan for the organizational outreach efforts of La Red. The team is ensuring the trainings and outreach will be relevant, appropriate, and informative. The community trainings will be delivered in Spanish, and they anticipate about 45 childcare providers from across the Twin Cities metro area will attend the first April 2018 training.