Minnesota Thrive Initiative

Through work with the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative coalitions, the Northland Foundation and five other Minnesota Initiative Foundations (MIFs) discovered an urgent and compelling issue. Communities all across Greater Minnesota voiced a need for stronger resources in support of early childhood mental health – the social and emotional well-being of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families – and to help families to better access those resources.

In response, the Minnesota Thrive Initiative was created. Its overarching goal is to create seamless systems or networks of local services that support the healthy social and emotional development of children birth to age five, with a special emphasis on children birth to age three.

Funding partners include the Bush Foundation; The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation; the Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, L.L.P. Foundation for Education, Public Health, and Social Justice, a supporting organization of the Minneapolis Foundation; The Sheltering Arms Foundation; the Mardag Foundation; and the Medica Foundation.

What is Early Childhood Mental Health?

The organization Zero to Three defines it as the developing capacity of children birth to age five to experience, regulate, and express emotions; form close and secure interpersonal relationships; and explore the environment and learn.

Healthy social-emotional development is strongly linked to success in elementary school and beyond – as important as literacy, language, and number skills in helping young children be ready for school.

How Will Thrive Address This Issue?

Currently, six pilot sites have been created – one in each MIF region. In January 2007, the Duluth-Proctor-Hermantown Thrive Initiative was launched as the pilot site for northeastern Minnesota.  More than 60 Action Team members representing many community sectors – social services, health care, early care and education, higher education, and others – have taken part in this effort. The team has created a Vision (326 KB pdf) and a Strategic Action Plan.

The Vision and Strategic Action Plan are based on opportunities and needs that were identified through 90 interviews with a diverse cross-section of the community. The Action Team has also developed a map of local programs and services that paints a more complete picture of what is currently available in terms of infant and early childhood mental health. In addition, the Initiative hosts training sessions featuring experts in the field, and community forums, on an ongoing basis to learn and share information.

Thrive members have formed six task forces to drive Strategic Action Plan projects and programs forward. Their efforts will build a stronger, more connected network of education, prevention, and intervention resources for early care and education providers, mental health and medical professionals, social service providers, and – most importantly – young children and their families. 

For more information on the Initiative and early childhood mental health, please contact Lynn Haglin, Northland Foundation Vice President/KIDS PLUS Director. A number of publications are also available for download:

• The Duluth-Proctor-Hermantown Thrive Initiative's Vision (326 KB pdf), outlined in a two-page brochure, defines those communities' overarching vision and provides the framework for action.
• A Minnesota Thrive Initiative Overview (232 KB pdf) provides a one-page summary of the statewide Minnesota Thrive Initiative and the Duluth-Proctor-Hermantown Thrive Initiative.
• A two-page Fact Sheet (90 KB pdf) helps define early childhood mental health, the spectrum of services for young children and their families, and the need to address the social and emotional well-being of our youngest children.