Children's Health

The Center for Health Improvement's extensive experience working with national, state, and local child health and child development programs includes assessments and evaluations of health and school readiness infrastructures; assessments of community health status and service capacity; delivery of timely and relevant technical assistance; and support for policy and program development. We've worked in the areas of maternal and child health, school readiness, family support initiatives, and children with special needs.

ASD Collaborative

California Department of Developmental Services

CHI's ASD Breakthrough Collaborative facilitated a statewide effort under the guidance of the California Department of Developmental Services, which was designed to improve the screening and diagnosis of children suspected of having autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The collaborative brought together California Regional Centers to work toward: 1) changing clinical and organizational practices, and 2) sharing information about "what works" and lessons learned. Even though many of the essential elements of good services for children suspected of having an ASD are known, there was a gap between known practices and how services are provided. The result was that care sometimes lacked coordination, timeliness, and comprehensiveness, exacerbating the stress on families in meeting the day-to-day needs of their children. Through the collaborative, each regional center team developed aim statements that guided their efforts to improve screening and diagnosis of ASD and measureable objectives to be accomplished. Throughout the collaborative, the teams shared progress through teleconferences, e-mail forums, and in-person meetings.

Children's Health Needs and Assets Assessment

The First 5 San Diego Children and Families Commission

CHI conducted an assessment of the health needs of San Diego children, providing the First 5 Commission with a regional and countywide perspective on children's health. The assessment included recommendations for opportunities to leverage resources and enhance funding for sustainability. CHI's approach emphasized community engagement to identify strengths, assets, and gaps within each region to provide the commission with a comprehensive plan designed to identify programs and services to improve and protect children's health.

Analysis of School-Linked Health Care

Community Health Foundation of Western and Central New York

CHI identified evidence-based model programs aimed at improving children's health that linked school, community, families, and primary health care resources. CHI's in-depth examination included 70 programs covering 27 states, ultimately focusing on 12 promising models. CHI's analysis identified programs' strengths, and the report includes a bibliography of programs reviewed, a digest of exemplary programs, and actionable recommendations.

National Academy of Sciences Neurons to Neighborhoods

David and Lucile Packard Foundation

CHI developed and designed roundtable conversations in the California Central Valley and at the State Capitol with 300 local and state decision-makers on how to apply early brain research to current child health interventions and new legislation.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative

For the California Wellness Foundation

CHI led a youth-driven policy development initiative and provided three years of technical assistance to community grantees.

Publications & Resources

ASD Collaborative Resources

"C9: California Autistic Spectrum Disorder Collaborative," Presentation to the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality, Center for Health Improvement, 2005.

"Examples of Accomplishments by Regional Centers Participating in the California ASD Breakthrough Collaborative," Center for Health Improvement, 2005. 

Red Flags Checklist, NBRC, A tool developed by the North Bay Regional Center for use by physicians in identifying Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Data Evaluation Checklist, CHI, A data evaluation checklist developed by the Center for Health Improvement for evaluating children suspected of having Autistic Spectrum Disorder, 2004.

Data Evaluation Checklist Instructions, CHI

Medical Examination Overview, Lisa Benaron

Family-centered Care Overview, Candace Adams

Checklist for Clinicians - Family-centered Approach, Candace Adams

Learning Session 1 Agenda, CHI

ASD Collaborative Focus, Ron Huff Powerpoint

ASD Collaborative Measurement, Patrick Maher Powerpoint

Executive Committee Roster

ASD Collaborative Basics, CHI Powerpoint

ASD Collaborative Process Map

ASD General Resources

Autism Bibliography, compiled in February 2005 by a student at Sonoma State University.

California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) website

Map of Regional Centers

Directory of Regional Centers

Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA) website

UC Davis MIND Institute website

ASD Resources for Schools

Special Education, Children with Autism, GAO Report January 2005

CSUS Stephen Brock paper for School Psychologists

Learning Collaboratives

Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) website 

Boston Globe Article on Don Berwick of IHI

The Breakthrough Series: IHI's Collaborative Model for Achieving Breakthrough Improvement

A Framework for Collaborative Improvement: Lessons from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Breakthrough Series, Charles Kilo

What Do Collaborative Improvement Projects Do? Tim Wilson et al

Quality Collaboratives: Lessons From Research, J Ovretveit

Early Childhood Development

First 5 Community Guide for Supporting Effective Tobacco Cessation Services: Guide (2003), Center for Health Improvement, August 2003.

First 5 Community Guide for Supporting Effective Tobacco Cessation Services: Resources (2003), Online resources guide compiled by the Center for Health Improvement, 2003.

Building Community Support for School Readiness: A Prop 10 Opportunity (2002),  California Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, August 2002.

Preventing Childhood Obesity: A Prop 10 Opportunity (2000), California Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, October 2000.

Implementation of California's Children and Families First Act of 1998 (2000), California Center for Health Improvement Reports From the Field. 

From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development (slideset, 2000), Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Institute of Medicine, National Research Council.

One in Four Toddlers Is at Risk-Stemming the Childhood Immunization Crisis: A Proposition 10 Opportunity, Field Lessons: Strategies to Support California's Children and Families First Act, California Center for Health Improvement, July 2000.

Nearly Five Million U.S. Children Suffer From Asthma-Joining Forces to Fight Childhood Asthma: A Prop 10 Opportunity, Field Lessons: Strategies to Support California's Children and Families First Act, California Center for Health Improvement, December 2000.

Each Year One in Four U.S. Children Needs Medical Attention for a Serious Injury-Reducing Unintentional Injuries Among Young Children: A Prop 10 Opportunity, Field Lessons: Strategies to Support California's Children and Families First Act, California Center for Health Improvement, November 2000.

Tooth Decay Strikes One in Three California Toddlers-Promoting Oral Health in Young Children: A Prop10 Opportunity, Field Lessons: Strategies to Support California's Children and Families First Act, California Center for Health Improvement, September 2000.

Nutrition & Physical Activity

CHI Childhood Obesity Prevention  Powerpoint presentation, Center for Health Improvement, 2005.

Preventing Childhood Obesity: A Proposition 10 Opportunity (Revised 2005), Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, January 2005.

Understanding Nutrition, A Primer on Program and Policies in California (2005), California Center for Research on Women & Families, Public Health Institute, August 2004.

California Preschool 5 a Day Plus Active Play! Campaign, Matthew Marsom, Powerpoint presentation, Public Health Institute, 2005.

San Diego Coalition on Children and Weight, Leah McClanahan, Powerpoint Presentation overview of the organization, 2005.

San Diego Coalition on Children and Weight Mission, Vision and Goal (2005), Factsheet.
  
Preschoolers Increasingly Overweight--Preventing Childhood Obesity: A Prop 10 Opportunity, Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, October 2000.

School-Linked Health Care

Review of School-Linked Health Programs, Report to the Community Health Foundation of Western and Central New York, Center for Health Policy, December 21, 2004.

California Schools, Policymakers Urged to Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education (2003), a three-part series, Center for Health Improvement, March 2003.

School Readiness

Engaging Youth in Policymaking Improves Policies and Youth Outcomes (2003), a three-part series, Center for Health Improvement, March 2003.

School Readiness Fiscal Sustainability Guide (2002), Center for Health Improvement, February 2002.

Creating a Fast Track School Readiness Plan (2002), one-page graphic chart, Center for Health Improvement, March 5, 2002. 

Improved Outcomes for Children and Communities-Building Community Support for School Readiness: A Prop 10 Opportunity, Center for Health Improvement Field Lessons: Strategies to Support California's Children and Families Act, August 2002.

School Readiness Assessment Chart (2001), Foundation Consortium and Center for Health Improvement, links to the School Readiness Assessment Chart-a planning tool that can be used by County Children and Families Commissions that are developing plans to implement the School Readiness Initiative. The chart provides two sets of information: (1) an overview of current school readiness activities based-at or linked-to the targeted schools in your county and (2) an outline of new activities being planned for your School Readiness Initiative, 2001.

School Readiness Overview (2001), Center for Health Improvement, September 13, 2001.

The Importance of Family Support to School Readiness (2001), Family Support California and the Center for Health Improvement, December 7, 2001.

Teen Pregnancy

California Schools, Policymakers Urged to Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education (2003), a three-part series, Center for Health Improvement, March 2003.

Three Policy Strategies Central to Preventing Teen Pregnancy (2003), a three-part series, Center for Health Improvement, March 2003.