This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set of resources identifies three case studies of how states have utilized research on adverse childhood experiences to inform child abuse and neglect prevention. The case studies reflect research to practice implications for service delivery in Alaska, Oklahoma, Washington State, and Wisconsin.

This Urban Institute needs assessment is an initial review of Oklahoma’s early childhood care and education (ECCE) delivery system. The review focuses on programs that directly support ECCE to include universal pre-K, Head Start and Early Head Start, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Head Start and Early Head Start, Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships, and state-funded child care and tribal child care programs. The assessment identifies future goals and action areas to include alignment of systems of care for seamless service delivery, affordability of ECCE options, increases in the number of choices for families for culturally responsive care and services while assisting parents’ ability to work, and resources to meet the urgent health and mental health needs of rural young children.

Established in 1998, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries’ TANF Literacy Initiative is a collaboration between the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS). Library and community-based literacy programs offer basic literacy instruction to TANF participants with up to 30 hours of weekly instruction in reading, math, writing, and life skills. After initial assessments by DHS staff, TANF participants are referred to local programs where they remain until they are employed or reach a sixth-grade proficiency level and are referred to other DHS education partners. The TANF Literacy Initiative is supported by funds provided to ODL by DHS. Participating programs receive resources, support, and funding.