As many of you know, at JRE we’re focused on systems change. This means we ask questions such as: 

• How can we address a problem’s ROOT CAUSE? 
• What solutions will lead to long-term, positive change? 
• Ultimately, what can we change that doesn’t simply throw a Band-Aid on the problem – what will help children and families in the long-run? 

That’s why in 2015, we started providing grant funding for Project LAUNCH. 

This program strengthens local families and promotes children’s social emotional well-being. 

For example, the team was able to: 

• Embed a therapist into the busy high-need pediatric practice. The position proved to be so valuable that the hospital added it to their regular budget. 
• Implement a Triple P – Positive Parenting Program®. This initiative offers parents and caregivers great resources and coaching, helping them raise confident, healthy children.
• Increase mental health screenings for both parents and children. 

The National Institute of Health recently awarded the LAUNCH Program a new grant to research how family stress – stress often related to a lack of resources – impacts infants’ health, well-being and growing bodies. 

Through this grant, the team is gathering important data that will help make science-based decisions on how to best support families and their young children. This includes looking at how stress changes mothers’ and their babies’ bodies, and how advocates can help them lessen and manage this stress. 

“JRE’s funding built the framework for this innovative team within a primary care practice and that team continues to learn and grow,” shared Dr. Carrie Dow-Smith from WakeMed Pediatrics. 

This is an incredible example of the type of systems change we seek to fund and support! The nationally recognized Project LAUNCH team has already reached hundreds of families – and this work will expand that positive impact. 

We are so proud of the Project LAUNCH team and are excited to see what comes next.