IRIS in Action: Building Connections to Home Visiting
Date
June 11, 2026, 10:30 - 11:30 AM CST
Event
IRIS in Action: Building Connections to Home Visiting
Home visiting programs are a critical entry point for families—supporting early childhood development, strengthening family stability, and connecting caregivers to essential resources. The IRIS in Action: Building Connections to Home Visiting session will highlight how communities are strengthening alignment across early childhood partners to ensure home visiting is more visible, accessible, and integrated within broader systems of care.
Hear from IRIS community partners representing different roles in supporting connections to home visiting as they highlight how stronger relationships and shared approaches are making it easier for families to access services. Presenters will share how IRIS has helped streamline referral processes, strengthen partnerships, and support more data-informed decision-making—ultimately building a more connected and responsive system for families.
Session Resources
Resources for Home Visiting Partnerships
Interested in learning more about how IRIS supports local visions for home visiting? Check out these community stories.
- Boosting Pediatrician Partnerships with Home Visiting Services via Integrated Referrals
- Enhancing Community Connectedness Through School Programs
- Madison County (IL) Launches Coordinated Intake System
Presenter Bios
Alex Phillips-Anglin
Community Engagement Coordinator
Project Eagle-University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
Alex Phillips-Anglin is the Community Engagement Coordinator at Project Eagle with 11 years of experience supporting early childhood education initiatives, family engagement programs and support services. Passionate about building strong community partnerships, Alex is a part of the Greater Kansas City Metro IRIS leadership team working to connect organizations and families with resources that help them thrive.
Erin Stout
Program Director
Peoria County Bright Futures, Peoria Heights, IL
Erin Stout is the Program Director for Peoria County Bright Futures, an Illinois State Board of Education funded Preschool for All and Prevention Initiative Home Visiting program. The program serves all Peoria County School districts outside the city of Peoria and has over 700 pre-k students and around 100 home visiting families. Erin has been with Bright Futures for almost 30 years. She is also the President of the Early Childhood Forum of Central Illinois, a Central Illinois collaborative of over 40 agencies that work together to serve families and communities prenatal through school age focusing on training, advocacy, community events and support and much more.
Gwendolyn Walsh, MSW, LSW
Medical Social Consultant
Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine, Springfield, IL
Gwen Walsh is a Medical Social Consultant for SIU Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics. She provides support to individuals and families in periods of transition. Gwen helps families to adjust to a new diagnosis and ongoing healthcare needs as well as connects them with community resources and advocates for families when needed. She has more than 15 years of experience helping individuals and families in many capacities.
Through her work at SIU Medicine-Pediatrics she joined the Sangamon HEART Early Childhood Collaboration and serves as a member on their leadership team. Sangamon HEART partnered with KU-CPPR to bring IRIS to their community in order to connect families to the resources they need. Gwen is the System and Data Manager for the Sangamon HEART IRIS Network.
