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Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant mortality and morbidity in the U.S. And troublingly, recent data show that U.S. preterm birth rates have risen for the fourth consecutive year. Improvement starts by identifying which programs and policies do successfully support mothers, understanding what makes them successful, and then using those lessons to prompt…
Right now, close to 100,000 people in the United States, many of whom are children, spend days experiencing acute pain, dealing with costly and uncomfortable hospitalizations, and fighting off infections – all common side effects associated with sickle cell disease (SCD). Thanks to innovative advancements in care and treatment, most people living with SCD now…
In the earliest years of life, children’s brains are developing rapidly, producing more than a million neural connections every second. During this period of rapid brain development, children gain the social and emotional skills they need to make friends and succeed at school and later in life. Pediatric primary care is a vital opportunity to…
Involved fathers give children a better chance of leading happy and fulfilling lives. From cognitive and social emotional development to education and employment accomplishments, children with involved fathers achieve better outcomes on nearly every measure of child well-being. Father involvement is also linked with improved mental health and well-being for moms. Yet despite fathers’ positive impact…
For the past 18 years, Mary Bullock, LCSW, MBA, has provided counseling and support to pregnant women and young mothers in the Indiana Women’s Prison (IWP). A social worker for Indianapolis Healthy Start, Bullock says that her relationships with these women have been a highlight of her 40-year career. “If I won the lottery, I…
Designing and implementing an effective public health program requires completing multiple activities, including identifying stakeholders and participants, completing a comprehensive needs assessment, or utilizing a clear theory of change with measurable and specific aims to address progress. No matter how much time and effort you may spend on these activities, factors beyond your control may…
Approximately 13,000 people live in Alaska’s Kodiak Island Borough, which is comprised of the City of Kodiak and six surrounding villages. The only way to get to Kodiak or travel between the different villages is by boat or plane. In this remote island community, it can be difficult for families to connect with public health…
Across the country, health and social service providers have had to find new ways to support children and families in the face of COVID-19. Home visiting services, pediatric well-child visits, prenatal care, and mental health appointments have largely had to transition from in-person appointments to visits virtually—either via phone or video. At the same time, COVID-19…
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted daily life across the country, with schools and childcare closed, routine medical care delayed, public transportation limited, and millions of jobs lost. These disruptions have affected communities where families already face significant threats to their health and well-being. In response, Baltimore Healthy Start, Inc., a federally funded program focused on…
For years, experts have called for a comprehensive system that links young children and families to needed health and social services at the community, state, and federal level. The coronavirus pandemic has revealed that the need for that system is more urgent than ever. Children’s health and development is affected by a long list of…