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 The
Andrus Center for Learning and Innovation serves as a hub of information
facilitating the dialogue of ideas between all of our constituents - organizational
and individual practitioners, funders, policy makers, researchers, and
consumers - concerned with mental health and social service efforts on
behalf of vulnerable children and families. The Andrus Center for Learning
and Innovation serves not only to improve our care of children, but also
to share with others the knowledge we have acquired after 75 years in
the field of mental health and child welfare.
A dynamic relationship exists between the Center and the
organization as a whole. The Center challenges our organization to continue
moving forward with cutting edge work and practices and Andrus challenges
the Center to aggressively promote the work we do while assuring that
we remain in the top tier of service organizations.
The mission of the Andrus Center for Learning and Innovation
is to provide professional leadership on issues, practices and policies
affecting vulnerable children and families. The goals of the Andrus Center
for Learning and Innovation are:
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To share the depth and breadth of knowledge Andrus
has acquired after 75 years of service to vulnerable children and
families; |
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To provide a forum where information pertaining
to vulnerable children and families can
be responsibly gathered, shared and disseminated; and, |
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To contribute to the knowledge base by
conducting and supporting cutting edge research on vulnerable children
and families. |
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| There are five core functions of
the Andrus Center for Learning and Innovation through which the goals
of the Center will be achieved. |
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Professional training. The Center will provide
practice-based courses on areas of expertise cultivated among Andrus
staff. Programs and courses will be offered on topics like implementing
the Sanctuary Model for organizations serving severely emotionally
traumatized children. Professional training of non-Andrus staff will
assist other organizations with their growth and development to meet
the needs of vulnerable children and families. |
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Program evaluation and Consultation. The Center
will provide customized on-site consultation and support for other
organizations in strategic planning, financial management and research
data collection and analysis. In addition, the Center will provide
tailored expert training in such areas as implementation of the Sanctuary
Model of trauma treatment; Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) development;
and staff development for special education professionals. |
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Scholarly research and publication. The Center
will conduct and support (financially, administratively and operationally)
collaborative interdisciplinary research projects in an effort to
bring together scholars from diverse disciplinary and methodological
perspectives to study related problems or issues that confront families
dealing with the mental health of their children. |
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Symposia. The Center will host a national or
regional symposium at least every two years that will permit presentation
and sharing of 'best practices' by experts in the care of children
with special needs. All participating institutions, including Andrus,
will benefit from this dialogue. The proceedings from some or all
of these symposia may be suitable for monograph publications. |
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Information sharing. The Center will
serve as a virtual resource center for information, research, services,
programs related to vulnerable children and families by providing
links to data sources, directories, publications, working papers,
professional news and other sites through our memberships in advocacy
organizations like the Alliance for Children and Families. |
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