Project seeks to improve the health and well-being of young children and families





News Release [ [link removed] ]




*For immediate release:*?July 12, 2023? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?(23-095)

*Contact:* DOH Communications <[email protected]>

Washington state receives funding to advance equity and family-centered early childhood systems

"Project seeks to improve the health and well-being of young children and families"

*OLYMPIA* ? The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is proud to share Washington is one of three states selected by the Early Childhood Developmental Health Systems (ECDHS): Evidence to Impact Center [ [link removed] ] to take part in a multiyear project to advance comprehensive early childhood developmental (ECD) systems across the state.

As part of the project, Washington will serve as an Implementation Site and receive technical assistance to identify strengths and opportunities for ECD systems-building, connect with other states and subject matter experts, and have access to curated resources. The Implementation Sites will define and contribute to short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes in their state that build upon previous efforts to reach system changes and improve health for young children and families. The efforts will advance improvements in early developmental health and well-being (such as child flourishing, school readiness, and family resilience, as prioritized by local/state needs) and reduced disparities associated with childhood poverty.

?This is a unique opportunity to co-design strategies with communities experiencing high levels of childhood poverty by building on strengths and addressing areas of opportunity to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities,? said Lacy M. Fehrenbach, MPH, Chief of Prevention, Safety, and Health, DOH. ?The focus on childhood poverty within this work also aligns with the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty in Washington [ [link removed] ]. Together with our partners, we are committed to strengthening coordination with communities and embracing innovation that creates pathways for solutions.?

DOH will partner with WithinReach [ [link removed] ]/Help Me Grow Washington [ [link removed] ], First Five Fundamentals [ [link removed] ]/Washington Communities for Children [ [link removed] ], the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics [ [link removed] ], and the Health Care Authority [ [link removed] ] to improve coordination between state and community-based partners to use existing infrastructure, resources, and planned initiatives to strengthen connections between community-based navigators/coordinators. The project is funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

?We are excited to collaborate with the Implementation Sites to improve early developmental health and well-being,? said Debbie Cheatham, Director of the ECDHS: Evidence to Impact Center. ?Our work will center ECD systems-building strategies around families and equity to improve outcomes and reduce disparities in health and family well-being.??

The ECDHS: Evidence to Impact Center is led by ZERO TO THREE [ [link removed] ] in partnership with several of the nation?s top early childhood and health system organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics [ [link removed] ], Help Me Grow National Center [ [link removed] ], Center for the Study of Social Policy [ [link removed] ], Family Voices [ [link removed] ], Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development [ [link removed] ], and Institute for Child Success [ [link removed] ]. The Center seeks to increase the implementation and evaluation of evidence-informed, equity-driven, systems-level strategies among states and to strengthen the evidence base in support of ECD state systems building. Learn more about the Center and Implementation Sites project: ZERO TO THREE ECDHS Site Selection [ [link removed] ].

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