From 2019 to the present, CAN and its Partners created a statewide strategic plan to advance whole-child health and wellness. The California AfterSchool Network convened the Whole Child Health and Wellness Collaborative with the generous support of Youth Opioid Response California. Below is the journey of this initiative. 

December 2019: The Whole Child Health and Wellness Strategic Planning Journey Launched! 

CAN and its Partners convened a joint cross-sectoral event to create a statewide strategic plan to advance whole-child health and wellness.

At the time, we had a unique opportunity in California:

• California has the largest system of Expanded Learning programs (after school, before school, and summer learning) in the nation with over 4,500 sites serving over 900,000 children and youth annually. 
• Expanded Learning quality is aligned with the latest research on the Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) and quality Expanded Learning programs are consistent with the conditions necessary for positive, healthy development, and positive outcomes for youth well into adulthood. 
• Expanded Learning opportunities are one of the four pillars of a community school and addresses a second pillar as a vehicle for family engagement.
• New National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Reports on Adolescent Development and Child Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health recommend cross-sector partnerships to advance positive outcomes for youth. 
• With strong links to medical health, mental health, substance use prevention, intervention, and treatment systems, California’s Expanded Learning programs can build upon their foundation for positive youth development and become vehicles for whole child health and wellness! 

Resources:

• A brief and more detailed overview of our efforts to create a multi-sector-informed statewide strategic plan to advance whole child health and wellness, leveraging California’s investment in Expanded Learning.
• Learn about the collaborative supporters that launched the initiative in December 2019. 
• Access the kickoff convening overview here.

April – June 2020: Collaborative Workgroups  

The Support Team finalized co-chairs for each of the seven workgroups, based on the priorities identified on December 18, and is in the process of identifying workgroup members based on your indicated interest. Those workgroup focus areas include:

1. Advancing Equity
2. Healing – Mindset Shift
3. Strong Narrative
4. Youth and Family-Centered Program Design and Engagement
5. Adult Capacity Building / Value Driven Leadership
6. Multi-Sector/Level Collaboration and Support Systems
7. Resources

During the Spring in April – June 2020, workgroups engaged in monthly virtual convenings.

April 2021: Release of the Whole Child Health and Wellness Strategic Direction and Call to Action

CAN is proud to share our Statement of Strategic Direction: Toward Equity-Driven Whole Child Health and Wellness. This guiding document is the culmination of work led by the Whole Child Health and Wellness Collaborative, a diverse group of multi-sector stakeholders from health, mental health, social services, substance use prevention, education, expanded learning, and child and family advocacy.

The Statement of Strategic Direction outlines a bold vision in which every child is well-known, well cared for, and well-prepared to thrive. It also includes shared equity strategies designed to be implemented from the state to the site level, emphasizing cross-sector partnerships — including with Expanded Learning Programs — to address critical needs and advance Whole Child Health and Wellness. A companion Call to Action provides a concise overview to support engagement and implementation.

At CAN, our long-term vision is that, through sustained state and federal investments in education, expanded learning, and other human services, California will build the collaborative structures needed to realize this vision. We encourage you to share these documents with your stakeholders as you plan how to leverage Expanded Learning Opportunities grants and American Rescue Plan funds to support this collective work.