Advancing Equity through Innovative Programs Focused on At-Risk Infants, Toddlers, and their Families presentation at AMCHP 2020
Early identification of child and family needs and timely referrals to appropriate services are essential for building a strong foundation for healthy child development and healthy families. This workshop described two evidence-based, multidisciplinary programs – both implemented by the organization ZERO TO THREE – that promote the health and well-being of infants, toddlers, and families at risk and offer exciting platforms to improve care access, quality, and coordination for underserved populations.
HealthySteps is a dyadic, prevention-focused program, with an emphasis on families living in low-income communities, that leverages pediatric primary care as an unparalleled opportunity to identify needs and deliver services for young children and their caregivers. Over 90% of parents bring their children to a well-child visit, even though many lack access to primary care themselves; HealthySteps maximizes this access point to reach very young children and their families with comprehensive risk stratification, screening, referral, and supportive interventions. A child development professional, known as a HealthySteps Specialist (HS Specialist), provides tailored support for common and complex concerns that physicians often lack time to address including parenting guidance, support between visits, referrals, and care coordination. Increasingly, states are seeing HealthySteps as part of a comprehensive strategy to address maternal and child health. The national Infant-Toddler Court Program is a system-change initiative, funded by MCHB, that focuses on minimizing trauma and its impact on early development by improving how the courts, child welfare agencies, and related child-serving organizations work together to support young children and their families. The Infant-Toddler Court Program provides training and technical assistance to communities to (a) develop cross-sector teams that work collaboratively to identify and address health and safety needs as expediently as possible, and (b) build coalitions of community stakeholders who collaborate to identify system gaps, build capacity, and strengthen alignment across prevention service and support systems. Each team includes a child development expert who works with judicial leaders to lead infant-toddler court team sites and coordinate services and resources for infants, toddlers, and their families. The Infant-Toddler Court Program represents a potentially powerful platform via which Title V MCH services and prevention programs can more effectively engage and serve ‘hard-to-reach’ young children and families to improve life-long health and development.
Presenters highlighted the shared rationale across the two programs in expanding reach to at-risk families and improving the quality and comprehensiveness of care, explained the key features of each program, and delineated alignment with MCH performance measures and health outcomes for children and parents. The presentation also 1) highlighted how state partners are implementing HealthySteps across the country to advance Title V goals, including a focus on Children with Special Health Care Needs and Prenatal Care, and 2) described efforts underway at infant-toddler court sites across the country to build and strengthen connections with the MCH provider community. Findings from recent evaluations on child and family needs, disparities, and service utilization were shared.
