Early Childhood Development

Early Childhood Development (ECD) Initiative: Empowering Providers, Improving Outcomes

According to Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive, 1 in 4 under the age of 5 are at risk for a developmental delay or disability. As primary care providers for over 64,600, children New Jersey’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are in a unique position to screen, monitor, and support the developmental health of infants and toddlers. Additionally, with 19,600 prenatal care patients served annually, health centers have the potential to influence both the health and life outcomes of even more children.

FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2023 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT (ECD) AWARD

This funding specifically serves health center patients aged 0-5 and their families, focusing on improving early childhood health and development.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded approximately $30 million to 151 HRSA-funded health centers to improve developmental outcomes among children ages 0-5 through increased screenings and follow-up services.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 New Jersey HRSA Grantees:

  • Henry J. Austin Health Center
  • Saint James Health Center
  • Zufall Health Center

What the Award Supports:

  • Increased developmental screenings for children ages 0-5, ensuring early identification of potential developmental concerns.
  • Expanded assistance for families in accessing appropriate follow-up services to support developmental progress.
  • Integration of early childhood development expertise within care teams to strengthen overall support for young patients.

Who Benefits:

This funding primarily supports health center patients ages 0-5 and their families. The focus is on ensuring that children have access to developmental screenings and follow-up care, addressing health disparities and promoting healthier childhood development.

Developmental Screening

When Should Developmental Screening Begin?

Early developmental screening is crucial for identifying potential concerns and providing timely interventions that can help improve long-term outcomes for children. The earlier any issues are detected, the better the chance for positive change. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other health organizations recommend the following guidelines for when to start developmental screenings:

At 9 Months: 

The first developmental screening should take place at 9 months of age. This allows healthcare providers to assess early developmental milestones such as social engagement, motor skills, and early communication abilities.

At 18 Months: 

A second screening is recommended at 18 months, to evaluate progress in areas like language development, motor coordination, and social behaviors.

At 24 or 30 Months:

A third screening is suggested between 24 and 30 months to continue monitoring developmental progress and ensure key milestones in language, motor, and cognitive development are met.

Ongoing Screenings: 

Developmental screenings should continue during well-child visits throughout early childhood, particularly if there are concerns about the child’s development.

Additional Considerations:

Parental or Caregiver Concerns:

If a parent or caregiver expresses concerns about their child’s development, a screening should be conducted regardless of the child’s age or previous screenings.

Risk Factors:
Children with certain risk factors, such as premature birth, low birth weight, or a family history of developmental disorders, may require more frequent or earlier screenings.

Why Early Screening is Important?

Early screening helps ensure that any developmental concerns are identified as soon as possible. Catching potential delays early allows for interventions that can greatly improve a child’s developmental trajectory and overall well-being.

Developmental Screening and Surveillance Tools

Developmental Screening

Help Me Grow Ventura County created this toolkit to share effective practices for developmental screening. This screening helps identify children with developmental delays early on, which means families can get support sooner to help kids reach important milestones. To make it easier for you to screen the children you care for, Help Me Grow VC put together this guide, drawing on both local experience and evidence-based research.

Developmental Surveillance

The "Learn the Signs. Act Early." program provides developmental surveillance resources for healthcare providers, including this presentation that explains the differences between developmental surveillance and screening. It also offers tools like the Milestone checklists to help providers identify developmental delays or disabilities early.

Bright Futures periodicity schedule

The Bright Futures Program provides age-specific clinical guidelines based on the best available scientific evidence, helping improve the quality of primary and preventive care for children.

Developmental Screening Passport

“Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive!” is a coordinated federal initiative promoting healthy child development. It encourages universal developmental and behavioral screenings for children while offering support to families and the caregivers who look after them.

Developmental Screening Toolkit  

Help Me Grow has developed this tool kit to provide you with best practices in the developmental screening process.

Developmental Surveillance

Developmental surveillance is an ongoing process that tracks your child’s development during well-child visits throughout early childhood. It is recommended at every visit to ensure any potential concerns are identified early.

The six essential steps of developmental surveillance during health supervision visits are:

  1. Review developmental history and checklists.
  2. Ask parents about any concerns they may have.
  3. Assess the child’s strengths and potential risks.
  4. Observe the child’s behavior and development.
  5. Document the findings.
  6. Share the results with other caregivers or healthcare providers.
How Community Health Centers Support Developmental Surveillance

Community health centers play a key role in implementing family-engaged developmental monitoring and screening through various approaches:

  • Building trust with families: Regularly discuss child development, answer questions, and offer guidance to foster open communication with families.
  • Listening attentively: Developmental delays and disabilities can be difficult to detect, so it is important to carefully listen to parents and early childhood professionals, as their concerns are often valid.
  • Following screening guidelines: Adhere to recommendations for developmental surveillance and screening and take immediate action if any milestones are missed.
  • Making early referrals: Refer families for evaluation and early intervention services as soon as a concern is identified and provide ongoing support.
  • Team-based support: Involve a variety of staff members, such as doctors, nurses, community health workers, and family support workers, to share resources and consistently reinforce developmental guidance with families.

American Academy of Pediatrics, 2024, Developmental Surveillance and Screening Resources for Pediatricians. 13 September 2024, [https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/developmental-surveillance-and-screening-patient-care/developmental-surveillance-resources-for-pediatricians/]

American Academy of Pediatrics, Bright Futures. 13 September 2024, [https://www.aap.org/en/practice-management/bright-futures/]

Help Me Grow, Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive! 13 September 2024, [https://helpmegrownational.org/hmg-partners/watchmethrive/]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024, Learn the Signs. Act Early. Early Childhood Impact, 13 September 2024, [earlychildhohttps://earlychildhoodimpact.org/resource/learn-the-signs-act-early/odimpact.org]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Learn the Signs. Act Early. 13 September 2024, [https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html]

Mississippi Thrive, Developmental Toolkit- National Home Page. 13 September 2024, [https://mississippithrive.com/developmental-toolkit-national-home-page/]