Collaborating with Health Care Providers and Early Childhood Systems using the CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early." Resources to Improve Public Health Outcomes for ALL Children and Families!

Full Description: Early Childhood outcomes and high quality early intervention services are important for lifelong health and wellness. States are mandated to identify children at risk for or with developmental delays and disabilities. Despite this mandate, it is estimated that 17% of children under 18 have a developmental disability, yet the majority of children with developmental delays enter kindergarten without concerns having been identified or addressed through early intervention (CDC 2012). Further, early identification of any developmental delay is characterized by racial/ethnic and socio-economic disparities. Research also suggests that early detection systems are failing to identify some children with developmental delays, which limits access to early intervention services that have been shown to improve child and family outcomes (Landa & Kalb, 2012).

There is much work to be done in improving all aspects of the early identification process. The realities of COVID-19 have illustrated the inequities in existing health care, early care and education, and early childhood systems and there is an urgent need to be more successful in connecting with families, conducting ongoing developmental monitoring and screening, and ensuring that families and young children have access to needed supports and services in a timely manner.

Learn the Signs, Act Early (LTSAE) developed by the CDC aligns with maternal and child health goals. This early intervention public health education campaign is based on behavior change theory and social marketing techniques in order to improve early identification of developmental delay. LTSAE is unique in the extent to which it emphasizes family engagement and positive, ongoing professional-parent conversations about child development.

This hands-on Skills-Building session will be an opportunity for participants to explore the resources of the LTSAE campaign, to learn about effective practices that have already been used in states and localities across the country, to see real examples of how they have been tailored to respond to specific needs in states (including translated materials and the use of family stories to engage families), and to develop an action plan for using the materials in their states and communities. Now that the CDC has Act Early Ambassadors in all states and many are also engaged in resilience building as part of the LTSAE COVID Response efforts, this session will also provide a means for participants to engage with their state’s Act Early Ambassador-led teams for future collaborations after the conference. The presenters are all CDC Act Early Ambassadors (and also family members, university faculty, program administrators and providers) and have examples of ways LTSAE materials have been used to reach families and providers.

Abbreviated Description: Would you like to improve your community’s or state’s efforts to improve early identification of young children with developmental concerns? The CDC’s “Learn the Signs, Act Early” campaign has developed FREE materials to share with families and providers. Come join this session with families and professionals to learn about the tools and how you can use them in your work. During the session, participants will work in teams to discuss integration into existing early childhood systems, including home visiting, WIC, early care and education, and pediatric care settings. All participants will leave with a take-home action plan for using LTSAE resources, as well as a set of LTSAE materials and resource toolkit.