Help Me Grow affiliates have permission to customize the back page of the Audience Guides and Screening Passport with affiliate contact information and logos; for assistance contact llockman@connecticutchildrens.org. Printing Tip: Select “Booklet” as the print handling option, double-sided (4.25 x 5.5 inch guide).
GENERAL RESOURCES: Developmental Promotion & Early Detection
Early Identification: Screening, Evaluation, and Assessment (Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center, DOE)
Learn the Signs. Act Early. program (Center for Disease Control & Prevention, HHS) aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and support they need by offering a wide range of information, resources, tips and strategies, including:
Developmental Milestones and Milestone Moment Booklets describe developmental milestones from 2 months to 5 years, and provide suggested activities to support children’s development, as well as information on when to act early talk to the child’s doctors about concerns.
Developmental Monitoring and Screening provides information on the importance of developmental and behavioral screening and monitoring, fact sheets and free materials to order.
Milestone Tracker App offers interactive milestone checklists for children ages 2 months through 5 years, illustrated with photos and videos, as well as tips and activities to help children learn and grow, information on when to act early and talk with a doctor about developmental delays, and a personalized milestone summary that can be easily shared with the doctor and other care providers.
Tips for Talking with Families about Developmental Concerns tip sheet provides information on how to regularly talk with parents about their child’s development and also provides tips for talking to parents when you have concerns; also available in Spanish.
What to Do If You’re Concerned offers tips on what to do if there are concerns about a child’s development.
Screening: The First Step To Getting To Know a Child a compilation of resources that address the basics of developmental screening, as well as information specific to infants and toddlers, culturally and linguistically responsive screening, and practical tools for Early Care and Education Providers (Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center, HHS).
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Children’s Mental Health provides an overview of children’s mental health, as well as the symptoms and treatment, and related data, statistics, research and articles (Center for Disease Control & Prevention, HHS)
Policy Brief: Access to Mental Health Services for Children in Rural Areas.
Policy Brief: Strategies for Behavioral Health Integration.
Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for children under age 21 who are enrolled in Medicaid. EPSDT is key to ensuring that children and adolescents receive appropriate preventive, dental, mental health, and developmental, and specialty services (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS)
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare provides information, expert consultation, training and technical assistance to child welfare, dependency court and substance abuse treatment professionals to improve the safety, permanency, well-being and recovery outcomes for children, parents and families (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, HHS)
Identifying Mental Health and Substance Abuse Problems of Children and Adolescents free manual offers guidance and tools for early identification of children and adolescents with mental health or substance use problems in various settings: child welfare, early and primary care, family, and schools (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, HHS)
CHILD WELFARE
Child Welfare Information Gateway connects child welfare, adoption, and related professionals to information, resources, and tools covering topics on child welfare, child abuse and neglect, out-of-home care, adoption, and more (Children’s Bureau, HHS)
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare provides information, expert consultation, training and technical assistance to child welfare, dependency court and substance abuse treatment professionals to improve the safety, permanency, well-being and recovery outcomes for children and families (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, HHS)
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) provides information, resources and supports to improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, HHS)
National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections (NRCPFC) builds capacity in child welfare systems to enhance child and family outcomes pertinent to permanency achievement, placement stability, and a wide range of other foster care and well-being issues (Children’s Bureau, HHS)
State Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As) are dedicated to the ongoing fight for the personal and civil rights of individuals with developmental disabilities and provide legal support to traditionally unserved or underserved populations to help them navigate the legal system to achieve resolution and encourage systems change (Administration for Community Living, HHS)
Early Care and Education
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning supports the dissemination of evidence-based practices focused on the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth through age 5 (Office of Head Start & Child Care Bureau, HHS)
Practical Strategies for Teachers and Caregiver. A variety of tools including posters, tip sheets, and support plans, for Scripted Stories for Social Situations, Book Nook, and Teaching Social Emotional Skills.
When to Seek Help for Children’s Problem Behaviorprovides guidance for seeking assistance from outside experts on children’s behavior.
Learn the Signs. Act Early. (Center for Disease Control & Prevention, HHS) program aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and support they need. Resources include:
Early Care and Education Primerhighlights the benefits of integrating “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” resources within early care and education settings, tips to boost family engagement, resources for discussing developmental concerns with parents, and ways to support providers’ professional development (Spanish version)
“Go Out and Play” Kitcontains information about monitoring developmental milestones, suggestions for a safe and successful activity day, tips about talking to parents if you suspect a child has a developmental delay, and activities to share with parents for at-home play.
Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns free 1-hour online training addresses how to support regular monitoring of each child’s development in your educational program and by families at home, as well as how to act on developmental concerns.
Head Start Center for Inclusion offers resources and materials that include web-based learning opportunities and evidence-based instructional strategies for providers to learn innovative and research-based practices to improve their work with children who have disabilities (Office of Head Start, HHS)
Screening in Head Start
Infant/Toddler Development, Screening and Assessment professional development module supports consultants working in child care settings, especially those who have not had education or training specific to infants and toddlers in group care (Early Childhood Training & Technical Assistance System, HHS)
IRIS Center offers a wide variety of resources on evidence-based practices, including instructional modules and research summaries, for children with disabilities (Office of Special Education Programs, DOE)
National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) advances best practices for linking health and early childhood education systems, health care professionals, and families. Their goal is to maximize resources for developing comprehensive and coordinate health and wellness services within early childhood education (ECE) settings (Office of Head Start, HHS)
Policy Statement on Expulsion & Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings (HHS & DOE)
Screening: The First Step To Getting To Know a Child a compilation of resources that address the basics of developmental screening, as well as information specific to infants and toddlers, culturally and linguistically responsive screening, and practical tools for Early Care and Education Providers (Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center, HHS).
Technical Assistance Center for Social Emotional Intervention supported the dissemination of evidence-based best practices to enhance the social-emotional competence of young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities (Office of Special Education Programs, DOE).
Backpack Connection Series. These resources offer guidance for teachers and families to work together to help young children develop social emotional skills and reduce challenging behavior.
Tips for Early Care and Education Provider.Early learning teachers can learn how to incorporate simple learning activities and concepts in everyday routines.
Early Intervention & Early Childhood Special Education
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning supports the dissemination of evidence-based practices focused on the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth through age 5.
CONNECT: The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge has developed practice-focused modules and instructional resources on evidence-based practices in early intervention and early childhood special education (Office of Special Education Programs, DOE)
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center supports early intervention and preschool special education programs and practitioners. It assists states in building effective, efficient systems; scaling up and sustaining effective services; and, promoting research-based interventions for young children with disabilities and their families. Contact information available for State IDEA Part C and Part B Section 619 Coordinators (Office of Special Education Programs, DOE)
Head Start Center for Inclusion offers resources and materials that include web-based learning opportunities and evidence-based instructional strategies for providers to learn innovative and research-based practices to improve their work with children who have disabilities (Office of Head Start, HHS)
IRIS Center offers a wide variety of resources on evidence-based practices, including instructional modules and research summaries, for children with disabilities (Office of Special Education Programs, DOE)
Joint Statement on Collaboration and Coordination for stronger partnership of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) and IDEA Part C Program (DOE & HHS)
Learn the Signs. Act. Early. (Center for Disease Control & Prevention, HHS) program aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and support they need by offering a wide range of resources, tips, strategies and information, including Early Intervention (Part C) contacts by state.
National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders promotes the use of evidence-based practice for children with autism spectrum disorders and includes modules on screening, assessment, and early identification (Office of Special Education Programs, DOE)
Technical Assistance Center for Social Emotional Intervention supported the dissemination of evidence-based best practices to enhance the social-emotional competence of young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities (Office of Special Education Programs, DOE)
Families
Center for Parent Information and Resources serves as a central resource of information and products on how to support families of children with disabilities (Office of Special Education Programs, DOE)
Learn the Signs. Act Early. (Center for Disease Control & Prevention, HHS) program aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and support they need by offering a wide range of information, resources, tips and strategies to better understand, support and celebrate children’s developmental milestones, and what to do if concerns are identified. Additional resources include:
Books to share with families: Where is Bear? A Terrific Tale for 2-Year-Olds (Spanish version) and Amazing Me – It’s Busy Being 3!(Spanish version).
Tips for Talking with Parents about Developmental Concern tip sheet provides information on how to regularly talk with parents about their child’s development and also provides tips for talking to parents when you have concerns; also available in Spanish.
Other information for parents from CDC
Positive Parenting Tips includes information on child development, positive parenting, safety, and health at each stage of childhood.
Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns: This free 1-hour online training addresses how to support regular monitoring of each child’s development in your educational program and by families at home, as well as how to act on developmental concerns.
WIC and Other Family Service Providers information and resources for Learn the Signs. Act Early.
Family-to-Family Health Information Centers are non-profit, family-staffed organizations that help families of children and youth with special health care needs and the professionals who serve them (Maternal & Child Health Bureau, HHS)
Health Care Coverage Finder Information on health insurance programs and dental providers by state. Medicaid and CHIP offer free or low-cost health insurance for kids and teens. Children can get regular check-ups, immunizations, doctor and dentist visits, hospital care, mental health services, prescriptions and more (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS)
Maternal and Child Health Hotlines: 1-800-311-BABY (1-800-311-2229); 1-800-504-7081 (For information in Spanish) (Maternal & Child Health Bureau, HHS)
National Center for Medical Home Implementation includes tools, resources, and links to information that will assist families and care givers in successfully partnering with their child’s medical home (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Home Visitation
Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program facilitates collaboration and partnership at the federal, state, and community levels to improve health and development outcomes for at-risk children through evidence-based home visiting programs (Maternal & Child Health Bureau, HHS)
Joint Statement on Collaboration and Coordination for stronger partnership of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) and IDEA Part C Program (DOE & HHS)
Primary Care
Bright Futures. A national health promotion and disease prevention initiative that addresses children’s health needs in the context of family and community (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Connecting Kids to Coverage provides outreach strategies to get eligible uninsured kids enrolled in CHIP and Medicaid (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS)
Coding fact sheet for primary care pediatricians: This coding fact sheet, Standardized Screening/Testing Coding Fact Sheet for Primary Care Pediatricians: Developmental/Behavioral/Emotional, developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics provides guidance on how pediatricians can appropriately report standardized developmental screening services.
Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for children under age 21 who are enrolled in Medicaid. EPSDT is key to ensuring that children and adolescents receive appropriate preventive, dental, mental health, and developmental, and specialty services (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS)
Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs. A professional development program to enhance the clinical expertise and leadership skills of professionals from a variety of disciplines dedicated to caring for children with neurodevelopmental and other related disabilities (Maternal & Child Health Bureau, HHS)
Learn the Signs. Act Early. program (Center for Disease Control & Prevention, HHS) provides information for health care providers about early identification of developmental disabilities, specifically the screening and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Autism Case Training. This free online professional development curriculum helps educate future pediatric health care providers on fundamental components of identifying, diagnosing, and managing autism spectrum disorders through real life scenarios.
Screening and Diagnosis for Healthcare Providers
National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) advances best practices for linking health and early childhood education systems, health care professionals, and families. Their goal is to maximize resources for developing comprehensive and coordinate health and wellness services within early childhood education (ECE) settings (Administration for Children & Families, HHS)
National Center for Medical Home Implementation includes tools, resources, and links to information that will assist families and care givers in successfully partnering with their child’s medical home (American Academy of Pediatrics)
STAR (Screening Technical Assistance & Resource) Center – The Screening in Practices Initiative envisions a system of care in which every child receives the screening, referral, and follow-up needed to foster healthy development. The overall goal of the Screening in Practices Initiative is to improve the health, wellness, and development of children through practice and system-based interventions to increase rates of early childhood screening, referral, and follow-up for developmental milestones, maternal depression, and social determinants of health (American Academy of Pediatrics)
The Pediatrician’s Role in Optimizing School Readiness (2016) – Policy statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics discussing the pediatrician’s unique opportunity to identify physical, social, and emotional factors that adversely affect school readiness through screening, encouraging positive parenting, and appropriate referrals to community resources.
Promoting Optimal Development: Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Problems (2015) – Report of the American Academy of Pediatrics focusing on the need to increase screening, with recommendations for changes in practices and health systems.
Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders in the Medical Home: An Algorithm for Developmental Surveillance and Screening (2006, Reaffirmed 2010 and 2014) – Policy statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics including an algorithm to support health care professionals in addressing developmental concerns in children from birth through 3 years of age. CPT codes for developmental screening are included.
Developmental Screening Quality Improvement Toolkit – Toolkit including resources from the Don’t Just Wait and See project, designed to guide American Academy of Pediatrics chapters, organizations, or individual practices in implementing their own quality improvement initiative to improve rates of developmental screening.
