Multimedia MCH Resources Bibliography

Annotation: This set of papers discuss library user behaviors, information needs and information seeking practices, with a focus on how people engage with technology and get their information for both personal and academic situations, as well as the importance of engaging and relationship building in providing successful and effective services.

• Link

Keywords: Client characteristics, Library services, Relationships

Annotation: This guide for after school program directors, members of leadership teams, site directors, and partners provides a step-by-step approach to developing exemplary practices in healthy eating, physical activity, and food security. The guide examines each practice in terms of what it means; why it matters; and how it can be embedded into, expanded upon, and deepen current work. Examples from learning centers, including their successes and the challenges they had to overcome, are provided throughout. The guide also includes progress indicators for assessing where a program and or site is at any given point in time as they move from starting out in this process to reaching exemplary levels.

• Link

Keywords: Adolescent health, After school programs, Child health, Communities, Families, Financing, Food consumption, Hunger, Learning, Low income groups, Manuals, Model programs, Nutrition, Obesity, Physical activity, Prevention, Program development, Schools

Annotation: This toolkit is designed to guide and support health professionals and others working in clinics, hospitals, and other health care settings develop methods within their facilities to recognize and respond to preeclampsia. Contents include care guidelines in checklist, flowchart, and table chart formats; a compendium of 18 best practice articles; a slide set for professional education; and educational material for pregnant women and their families.

• Link

Keywords: Collaboration, Guidelines, Model programs, Perinatal care, Preeclampsia, Pregnant women, Program improvement, Quality assurance, Resources for professionals

• Link

Keywords: Injury prevention, International health, Intervention, Life course, Model programs, Prevention programs, Violence prevention

Annotation: This compendium lists programs, interventions, and initiatives that are evidence-informed and those that hold promise for serving expectant and parenting youth and their children within foster care systems. The contents are organized into three major categories: parenting supports, developmental supports for children and parents, and preparation for adulthood. Each entry includes the name of the program, initiative, intervention, or training curriculum; results that the program, intervention, initiative, or training curriculum attempts to achieve; the target population; a description; the source of the evidence-informed clearinghouse; evidence of effectiveness; a location; and the website source or key contact for more information. Related resources such as fact sheets, reports, toolkits, and guides are also included.

• PDF

Keywords: Adolescent parents, Curricula, Foster care, Intervention, Model programs, Pregnant adolescents, Program evaluation, Resources for professionals, Training

Annotation: This report describes findings from a review of home visiting programs implemented in tribal communities or evaluated with American Indian or Alaska Native families and children. The report describes the review process that the Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) team used to identity, screen, and assess the research literature and review results. (HomVEE is a systematic review of home visiting research launched by the Administration for Children and Families and the Department of Health and Human Services in 2009.) The report also presents descriptive information from studies on participant outcomes measures, provides descriptions of the home visiting model characteristics, and discusses lessons learned. It is an update of a report that was issued in 2012.

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• Program Website

Keywords: Alaska natives, American Indians, Children, Families, Home visiting, Infants, Low income groups, Prevention, Research

Annotation: This paper describes wraparound services (defined as student and family supports integrated with and often delivered in schools) to address social and non-academic barriers to student learning. Contents include background, a summary of three case studies (in New York City, Tulsa, and California Healthy Start), five key features of a high-quality wraparound services model that could be implemented across Massachusetts, and a statewide cost projection. The report concludes with a discussion of policy considerations.

• PDF
• Link

Keywords: Academic achievement, Barriers, Costs, Educational reform, Family support services, Health services delivery, Learning, Local initiatives, Massachusetts, Policy development, Program models, Service integration, Social factors, State initiatives, Students

Annotation: This document contains summaries of effective programs and practices for improving child, youth, and family outcomes. Contents include primary evidence criteria; lists of programs by age of child and by type of setting, service, and outcome addressed; and descriptions of programs reviewed for the period 2000 to 2014. Each description includes information on outcome areas, indicators, topic areas, and evidence level (proven or promising); program participants; evaluation methods and key findings; probable implementers and implementation detail; funding; issues to consider; example sites; contact information; resources; and a bibliography.

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Keywords: Children, Families, Model programs, Outcome and process assessment, Program descriptions, Program evaluation, Youth

Annotation: This guide for health professionals and communities contains an annotated list of resources and accompanying tools for implementing evidence-based adolescent health programs. The guide defines evidence-based programs, explains how they are used, and identifies limitations of existing programs. The resources in the guide are organized by health topics adapted from the focus areas of the Healthy People 2020 Core Indicators for Adolescent and Young Adult Health. Topics include healthy development, unintentional injury, violence, mental health, substance use, sexual health, obesity, physical activity, and tobacco. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Adolescent health, Adolescents, Healthy People 2020, Model programs, Program planning, Resources for professionals, Young adults

Annotation: This guide is designed to help states plan and establish comprehensive tobacco control programs. It describes an integrated programmatic structure for implementing interventions proven to be effective and provides the recommended level of state investment to reach these goals and to reduce tobacco use in each state. On the basis of evidence of effectiveness documented in the scientific literature and the experiences of state and local programs, the guide identifies the most effective population-based approaches with the following overarching components: state and community interventions, mass-reach health communication interventions, cessation interventions, surveillance and evaluation, infrastructure administration and management.

Keywords: Comprehensive programs, Intervention, Model programs, Population surveillance, Program descriptions, Program evaluation, Program management, Public health infrastructure, Smoking cessation, State programs, Tobacco

Annotation: This report evaluates basic state emergency preparedness plans for children in each state and the District of Columbia, and highlights a critical standard that every state should have in place to address the most vulnerable children in child care. Standards discussed include an evacuation plan for children in child care, plans for reuniting children with their families after a disaster, a plan for children with disabilities and those with access and functional needs, and a multi-hazard plan for K-12 schools. The report provides state-by-state data with successful examples as well as a description of the study methodology.

• Link
• Previous Reports

Keywords: Child care, Children, Children with special health care needs, Disaster planning, Emergencies, Infants, State surveys, Young children

Annotation: This report provides statistics on teen pregnancy and births in the United States from 1950-2012, together with information on federal strategies and programs to reduce teen pregnancies. It reviews trends at both the state and national levels; discusses the financial and social costs of teen births; and discusses reasons for the fluctuation in adolescent birth rates over time. The report also describes federal strategies to reduce teen pregnancy during FY1998-FY2014 and includes descriptions of current federal pregnancy prevention programs. In conclusion, the report discusses evidence-based models based on evaluations of teen pregnancy prevention programs

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Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy, Birth rates, Federal programs, Model programs, Pregnancy prevention, Reports, Statistics, Trends

Annotation: This website provides information for anyone working to help prevent violence in America. It explains primary prevention, public health approach, the social ecological model, and social norms and provides strategies to help prevent suicide, sexual violence, child abuse and neglect, youth violence, and intimate partner violence. Included are free accredited training programs; resources for program planning, implementation, and evaluation; and success stories featuring existing prevention programs and strategies.

• Link

Keywords: Distance education, Guidelines, MCH programs, Model programs, Training, Violence prevention

Annotation: This report provides evidence-based recommendations for the use of professionally applied topical fluorides to prevent dental caries. The report addresses the impact of topical fluoride vs. no topical fluoride on new and early carious lesions; which topical fluoride was most effective in preventing, arresting, or reversing dental caries; and whether an oral prophylaxis before application improved fluoride uptake. The report also describes the systematic review of the literature, methodologies used to develop the clinical recommendations, limitations related to the evidence and review, and future research needs. An executive summary is also available.

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• Executive Summary

Keywords: Disease prevention, Early childhood caries, Fluoride, Oral health, Resources for professionals, Young children

Annotation: This webinar focuses on law and policy issues in reducing firearm violence among children and adolescents. It addresses the scope of the problem of intentional and unintentional firearm-related injuries among teens and children; best practices, policies, and programs for reducing firearm-related injuries; commonly used practices, policies, and programs that have not proven to be effective; and the challenges in public health law related to firearms and what they mean for practitioners. The webinar was cosponsored by the Children's Safety Network and the Network for Public Health Law.

• Webinar
• Link

Keywords: Adolescent health, Child health, Firearm safety, Gun violence, Injury prevention, Legislation, Policy, Public health

Annotation: This report summarizes the first three cohorts of the Maternal Child Health Bureau’s State Implementation Grant Program grantees’ accomplishments and highlights strategies which catalyze changes that yield the greatest system improvements, based on an evaluation of the program in 28 states, the District of Columbia, and the Navajo Nation. Examples of promising or best practices are included. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

• Link

Keywords: Adolescents with special health care needs, Children with special health care needs, Health care systems, Model programs, Outcome evaluation, Service delivery systems, Service integration, State MCH programs

Annotation: This monograph examines the Commonwealth Fund's recent efforts to create an integrated model of well-child care capable of addressing children's cognitive, emotional, and social development needs. It explores the development of well-child care in the United States in the 20th century, focusing on turning points and emphasizing the fund's initiatives and their contributions to child health care; traces the creation of the fund's Child Development and Preventive Care program and provides an intellectual history of the theories and philosophies informing it; examines how the program built momentum for change, engaged stakeholders, and generated evidence; and analyzes lessons learned from the program and considers them in the context of enduring issues in American society.

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Keywords: Child development, Evidence based health care, History, Model programs, National initiatives, Preventive health services, Public private partnerships, Service integration, Well child care

Annotation: This joint statement provides a framework supported by educators for improving school safety and increasing access to mental health supports for children and adolescents. Topics include policy recommendations to support effective school safety, best practices for creating safe and successful schools, and the roles of key leadership personnel regarding school safety and climate. The statement concludes with a discussion of actions that principals can take to promote safe and successful schools, a list of guidelines for effective practice, and supporting research and resources. A list of endorsing organizations is included.

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Keywords: Leadership, Mental health, Model programs, Policy development, Research, Safety, School age children, Schools

Annotation: This issue brief uses data from Chapin Hall’s evaluation of the Elev8 Full-Service Schools Initiative as a case study to focus on the challenges and benefits of offering economic support services to low income families at schools. Based on their findings, the authors conclude that the Elev8 Initiative, which brings together schools, families, and the community in underserved neighborhoods, shows promise as a way to provide support services to families while improving the educational opportunities for their children. Using lessons learned from the Eval8 Initiativ, the authors present recommendations for future efforts to integrate economic support services into schools. Their suggested strategies include hiring long-term staff members to build trusting relationships with parents; offering economic support services in conjunction with a broader array of services; ensuring clear lines of communication between partner organizations; and taking steps to ensure parents’ privacy.

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Keywords: Community based services, Economic factors, Educational factors, Evaluation, High risk children, Initiatives, Low income groups, Models, Partnerships, School-linked programs

Annotation: This issue brief explores how states and communities can capitalize on the opportunities presented by the Affordable Care Act to advance breastfeeding. In particular, it examines state partnerships; financing of breastfeeding support and counseling services; promoting worksite accommodations; and using the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program to improve referral and tracking. The brief also highlights some of the best practices of state Title V maternal and child health programs and their partners and offers strategies for states interested in developing similar efforts.

• Link

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Financing, Health care reform, Home visiting, Model programs, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public private partnerships, State MCH programs, Workplace

Annotation: This compendium provides examples from a literature review conducted by the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) evaluating the effectiveness of community-based disease prevention programs designed to reduce tobacco use, increase physical activity, and/or improve eating habits. The compendium includes examples not included in the original report of evidence-based community prevention programs that have helped reduce rates of asthma, falls among the elderly, and sexually transmitted diseases as well as other topics.

• 2012
• 2009

Keywords: Community based services, Disease prevention, Evaluation, Evidence based medicine, Literature reviews

Annotation: This review assesses the comparative effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological interventions for infants, children, and adolescents from birth through age 14 exposed to maltreatment in addressing child well-being outcomes (mental and behavioral health; caregiver-child relationship; cognitive, language, and physical development; and school-based functioning) and child welfare outcomes (safety, placement stability, and permanency). The review also assesses the comparative effectiveness of interventions with (1) different treatment characteristics, (2) for child and caregiver subgroups, and (3) for engaging and retaining children and caregivers in treatment. In addition, the review assesses harms associated with interventions for this population.

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Keywords: Adolescent development, Adolescents, Behavior problems, Child abuse, Child development, Cognitive development, Early childhood development, Infant development, Infants, Intervention, Language development, Maltreated children, Mental health, Parent child relations, Physical development, Safety, School failure, School readiness, Treatment

Annotation: This report highlights key characteristics of effective school mental health (SMH) and the strategies that federal Safe Schools/Health Students (SS/HS) initiative grantees have used to build and sustain comprehensive mental health programs. The report discusses what effective, comprehensive SMH does, describes key features of effective SMH, discusses SS/HS, and provides a close look at 13 SS/HS sites, focusing on key successes and lessons learned.

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Keywords: Federal programs, Academic achievement, Access to health care, Adolescent mental health, Behavior disorders, Behavior problems, Child mental health, Emotional instability, Health promotion, Initiatives, Mental disorders, Mental health, Mental health services, Safety, School age children, School health

Annotation: This brief summarizes research on how programs that provide physical classroom activity breaks impact students' physical activity levels, on-task behavior, and other health outcomes. Barriers to providing physical activity breaks during the school day are discussed. The brief also includes a list of school physical activity programs with a brief description of each.

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Keywords: Child behavior, Child health, Obesity, Physical activity, Prevention, Programs, Research, School health, Weight management

Annotation: This report summarizes the proceedings from a May 2013 meeting of teams from five states to discuss strategies for developing and moving forward on an infant-toddler policy agenda. Participants explored innovative state models and strategies for developing and moving an infant policy agenda; assist other states in their efforts to establish an infant-toddler policy agenda; and promote relationships and continued collaborative work among participants. Topics explored during the meeting included policy development, outreach to families, professional development systems integration, coordinated screening and referral systems, effective communication, data systems, and quality improvement,

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Keywords: Collaboration, Family support services, Illinois, Infant health, Infants, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Model programs, New Jersey, Outreach, Pennsylvania, Policy development, Quality assurance, Screening, Service integration, State initiatives, Young children

Annotation: This website provides information to help identify effective strategies and evidence-based interventions to help prevent childhood injuries. Site users can choose the mechanism (or cause) of injury that they are working to prevent and then find an overview of the problem, links to resources and partners, and recommended or promising prevention strategies in the areas of education, legislation and policy, modification of products, physical environments, and social environments. The strategies presented were identified through a comprehensive search of the literature and review by experts in the field of child injury prevention. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Child health, Injury prevention, Interventions, Model programs, Prevention programs

Annotation: This registry provides information about evidence-based positive youth development programs designed to promote the health and well-being of children and adolescents. Contents include surveys for matching children's strengths and needs to specific programs based on outcome areas, risk and protective factors, and developmental stage; the program review criteria fact sheet, checklist, and standard; a searchable database that provides each program's name, target population, financing strategies, rating (promising or model program), benefits and costs, impact, and summary; instructions for nominating a program; related publications; and other resources.

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Keywords: Adolescent development, Adolescents, Behavior problems, Certification, Child development, Children, Databases, Developmental stages, Health promotion, Information sources, Mental health, Model programs, Needs assessment, Prevention programs, Program planning, Protective factors, Registries, Research, Resources for professionals, Risk factors, Surveys, Violence prevention

Annotation: This resource identifies registries of child- and adolescent-related programs recommended by federal agencies on the basis of expert opinion or a review of design and research evidence. The programs focus on different health topics, risk behaviors, and settings. Some, but not all, of the programs have shown evidence in reducing youth risk behaviors.

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Keywords: Adolescents, Cost effectiveness, Evidence based health care, Health behavior, Intervention, Model programs, Prevention programs, Registries, School age children, Treatment effectiveness evaluation

Annotation: This report describes the development and evaluation of a comprehensive marketing plan aimed at broadening the access to and utilization of evidence-based practice resources by Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians Registered. It describes target audiences; marketing strategies and tactics; activities conducted and their outcomes and measure; and next steps.

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Keywords: Evidence based medicine, Initiatives, Marketing, Nutrition programs, Program evaluation

Annotation: This document defines the term "best practice" and discusses the best practice continuum, which includes emerging, promising, and best practices in maternal and child health. The document also addresses considerations for philanthropy. A list of 2012 awardees from the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs for especially innovative emerging, promising, and best MCH practices is included.

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Keywords: Child health, Evaluation, MCH programs, Philanthropy, Public health, Quality assurance, Women's health

Annotation: This guide provides an overview of public health considerations in transportation planning and decision-making, emphasizing the importance of promoting physical activity and active modes of transportation such as biking and walking. The guide explains how transportation programs are organized and funded, and suggests ways that public health professionals can become leaders in the development of active transportation policies. It includes case studies of success stories, communication strategies to build relationships, and examples of various ways to become involved in transportation, land use, and built environment decisions at various levels (community, regional, and state). A variety of additional resources and ideas, are provided throughout the guide to help health professionals become actively engaged in the process of promoting active transportation.

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Keywords: Model programs, Physical activity, Planning, Policy development, Public health, Transportation, Urban environment

Annotation: This issue brief explores the importance of maternal and infant health disparities as a public health concern. It discusses racial and ethnic disparities, economic impact, infant mortality, maternal disparities, prenatal care, geographical disparities and telemedicine, and breastfeeding, It also highlights programs that states have implemented to deal with these issues.

Keywords: Case studies, Economic factors, Ethnic factors, Infant health, Infant mortality, Prenatal care, Prevention, Racial factors, State programs, Women's health

Annotation: This fact sheet on male children and adolescents examines programs and interventions that work (as well as those that don't work) as this population transitions into young adulthood. It examines the challenges that can impede the healthy development of young people, highlighting differences between males and females, and summarizes findings from a review of 115 interventions that either target or provide impact data on male children and adolescents. Outcome areas include academic achievement, delinquency, acting out, mental health, physical health and nutrition, reproductive health and sexuality, social skills, and substance use.

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Keywords: Adolescent development, Child development, Evaluations, Gender, Interventions, Literature reviews, Male children, Reports, Risk factors

Annotation: This report presents case studies of three school mental health programs in Pennsylvania; Washington, DC; and Minnesota that have crafted financial policies and processes that support their work. The goal of the report is to shed light on on some best practices to be considered in searching for strategies to sustain school mental health services. Each case study includes a program description and information about who is served, services offered, program funding, successes, and challenges. Also included is a discussion of business planning for sustainable school-based mental health services.

• Full Report
• Fact Sheet

Keywords: Adolescent health, Case studies, Child health, District of Columbia, Financing, Mental health programs, Mental health services, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, School health programs, Schools

Annotation: This research brief examines programs and strategies that work and that do not work for improving health and mental health outcomes for females. A companion brief does the same for males. The brief synthesizes findings from 106 random assignment intent-to-treat evaluations of social interventions that targeted female children, adolescents, and young adults or co-ed interventions that provide separate data for the female subgroup. The brief introduces the problem and discusses interventions that address the following issues: academic achievement, delinquency, mental health, physical health and nutrition, reproductive health and sexuality, self-sufficiency, substance use.

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Keywords: Academic achievement, Depression, Female adolescents, Female children, Health, Intervention, Mental health, Nutrition, Programs, Reproductive health, Research, Sexuality, Substance abuse, Young adults

Annotation: This final report describes results of a review of programs implemented by 14 original Healthy Weight grantees to identify best practices and lessons learned for promoting healthy weight among women. It describes how the study was conducted and lessons learned as to facilitators and barriers to program success. The study reviewed all applications, interim reports, and final reports of the grantee programs funded and implemented from September 2004 through April 2010. Program descriptions are included. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Body weight, Community programs, Federal MCH programs, Model programs, Program evaluation, Weight management, Women

Annotation: This fact sheet provides information about programs that work and do not work to improve outcomes for adolescent parents with low incomes and their children. The fact sheet reviews 20 parenting programs that are geared toward enhancing parents' development, educating them about effective parenting methods, or both. The fact sheet introduces the issue and reports findings for programs in six outcome areas: child outcomes: health; child outcomes: behaviors and development; parent outcomes: reproductive health; parent outcomes: mental health and behaviors; parent outcomes: education, employment, and income; and parenting outcomes. Promising approaches and future research needs are also discussed.

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Keywords: Adolescent attitudes, Adolescent behaviors, Adolescent development, Adolescent health, Adolescent parents, Child development Parent support programs, Child health, Education, Employment, Family income, High risk groups, Low income groups, Mental health, Parent support services, Parenting skills, Reproductive health, Research

Annotation: This report discusses the logic of a framework used to monitor program implementation and fidelity across evidence-based home visiting programs to prevent child maltreatment. It also outlines key components and indicators, as well as utility, in three areas, home visitor and supervisory caseloads, service duration, and service dosage. Contents also include data collection and analysis methods, profiles of participants and home visitors/supervisors, characteristics and content of home visits, assessing three dimensions of structural fidelity, and conclusions and next steps. References and appendices are also included.

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• PDF

Keywords: Child abuse, Home visiting, MCH research, Maltreated children, Prevention programs, Prevention services, Program evaluation

Annotation: This paper examines how community health workers (CHWs), promotores, and parent mentors can be used to improve the health of children in the Southwest, as well as the health care available to them. The paper provides definitions of CHWs, promotores, and parent mentors and discusses a conceptual framework for providing an understanding of how they can improve children's health and health care; evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness; existing programs; and implications for policy, practice, and research.

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Keywords: Access to health care, Child abuse, Child health, Community health workers, Community heath services, Costs, Ethnic factors, Health services, High risk groups, Hispanic Americans, Income factors, Low income groups, Low income groups, Programs, Public policy, Racial factors, Research, Southwestern United States, Uninsured persons

Annotation: This brief focuses on the importance of addressing the built environment to improve maternal health and birth outcomes. Contents include an overview of the built environment and research on the connections between the built environment and health, the biological and social impacts of an unsupportive built environment on maternal health and birth outcomes, and promising programs at the state and local levels.

• PDF

Keywords: Data, Environmental health, Health care systems, Maternal health, Model programs, Pregnancy outcome, Preventive health services, State MCH programs, Urban MCH programs

Annotation: This report explores the relationship between changes in the school food environment and children’s health outcomes. Topics include the potential impact on students' health of national nutrition standards for competitive foods or foods sold in schools individually as snacks, a la carte items, and beverages; school services; and diet and nutrition. The report also presents policy recommendations and promising practices.

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Keywords: Adolescents, Assessment, Health status, Nutrition policy, Oral health, School age children, Schools, Standards

Annotation: This final report presents the findings of a study to field test a comprehensive assessment tool to measure implementation of best practice elements in home visiting programs. The report discusses identifying common best practice elements of home visiting programs, measuring quality, and the evidence base for specific indicators. It includes a literature review of self assessment and credentialing tools, home visit measures and model evaluations.

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Keywords: Home visiting, Program evaluation, Quality assurance, Research

Annotation: This community action guide describes the experiences of a woman and her infant daughter to point out resources that service providers, advocates, and health professionals can use to better understand and respond to the needs of families and children with problems related to mental health, substance abuse, and trauma. The guide also presents information, resources, and tips to foster unified communities that are responsive to families' needs. Topics include the importance of the birth-to-age-5 developmental stage, threats to resilience, levels of stress in young children and families, protective factors, a strategic framework for action, and moving forward. Brief descriptions of successful programs are included.

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Keywords: Advocacy, Children, Community programs, Domestic violence, Families, Family support services, High risk groups, Infants, Mental health, Parent support services, Resilience, Resource materials, Stress, Substance abuse, Vulnerability, Young children

Annotation: This study highlights promising public health practices in nine different states that involve coordination across federal agencies, state health agencies, and tribal, local, and territorial health departments. The study focuses on state and local health departments that have developed structures and processes to facilitate collaboration in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. Included are key findings in the areas of communication, alignment of funding, and quality improvement. The study was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago and is part of the National Public Health Improvement Initiative administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Keywords: Models, Public health, State programs, Studies, service coordination

Annotation: This report provides information about supportive school discipline—defined as a systemic constellation of programs and practices that promote positive behaviors while preventing negative or risky ones. The report discusses cross-agency partnerships, data-driven decisions, system-wide use of evidence-based programs and practices, and engagement of parents and families as partners. For each topic, examples are provided for specific school districts. A case study of one child who benefited from supportive school discipline is also provided.

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Keywords: Adolescent behavior, Behavior disorders, Behavior problems, Child behavior, Discipline, Families, High risk adolescents, High risk children, Parents, Prevention, Programs, Schools

Annotation: This fact sheet highlights promising practices aimed at reducing the infant mortality rate in the state of Tennessee. It provides estimates on annual costs associated with poor birth outcomes and describes statewide programs that have shown promise in reducing adverse birth outcomes. The fact sheet highlights two promising partnership programs: (1) The BLUES (Building Lasting Unshakable Expectations into Successes) project, a program that combines socio-emotional counseling with medical care for expectant mothers; and (2) STORC (Solutions to Obstetrics in Rural Counties), a telemedicine initiative that connects at-risk pregnant women in isolated areas with physician specialists. The fact sheet is part of a promising practices series that recognizes emerging and promising programs or policies in maternal and child health.

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Keywords: Infant mortality, Model programs, Prevention, State programs, Tennessee

Annotation: This report outlines best and promising practices for tobacco use prevention and control for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community using the World Health Organization’s best practices model, MPOWER (Monitor, Protect, Offer, Warn, Enforce, and Raise), which outlines the key steps for effective tobacco control programs and additional letters -- E for Evaluate (and disseminate) and D for Diversify -- to address all of the key challenges that LGBT and overlapping disparity populations face. The target audience for the report includes policy makers, grant makers, grant applicants, and tobacco control program administrations.

• Link

Keywords: Cultural sensitivity, Culturally competent services, High risk groups, Homosexuality, Model programs, Prevention, Program improvement, Smoking cessation, Tobacco use

Annotation: This issue brief focuses on the impact of exposure to violence in school settings and examines how emerging research and program practice can help school staff to develop programs that meet the needs of children and youth who are exposed to violence. The brief analyzes case scenarios and proposes opportunities for intervention. It discusses the connections between children's exposure to violence and their mental wellness, ability to reach full academic potential, and academic outcomes; and describes promising practices to help teachers, mental health providers, school administrators, and state policy makers prevent and reduce the impact that violence has on children. A variety of evidence-based school mental health interventions are described, along with the challenges that may arise in implementing such programs. A list of guiding principles to support best practices is included.

• Link

Keywords: Intervention, Mental health, Program development, School age children, School health programs, School violence, Violence

Annotation: This webinar, broadcast December 13, 2012, provides an outline on how to simplify data collection processes through the use of new technology, specifically Thinkpads and TeleHealth Monitors, available to home visiting programs throughout the country. It also provide a description of the Healthy Start, Inc. model of utilizing data collection and abstraction on health and social issues disparately effecting high risk men, women, and children in targeted communities. The audience receives best practice model concepts including program design and specific case management tools and examples resulting in specific outreach and case management strategies to promote positive outcomes for women and their families.

• Link

Keywords: Data collection, Healthy Start, Home visiting, Model programs, Quality assurance, Technology

Annotation: This report describes practices suggested by training centers on disabilities identified by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) as those that consistently report the highest survey response rates from their trainees. Based on interviews conducted by AUCD with training directors and former trainees from five network programs, the report lists four themes of best practice identified as key components in yielding high trainee survey response rates. The methodology used by AUCD is described in detail, and specific examples of practices that resulted in the highest survey response rates are explained. [Funded in part by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Developmental disability programs, Disabilities, Federal programs, Professional training, Program improvement, Surveys

Annotation: This annual report identifies gaps in the evidence base on the effectiveness of clinical preventive services for adults and children and recommends priority areas that deserve further research. Topics include high priority evidence gaps for screening tests, behavioral interventions, and clinical preventive services targeting specific populations and age groups. Next steps and a conclusion are also provided.

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Keywords: Adult health, Child health, Cost effectiveness, Evidence based health care, Prevention services, Research, Treatment effectiveness

Annotation: This report identifies financing, work force, and other challenges faced by local oral health programs (including city, county, and other community-based entities) and offers recommendations. Topics include building infrastructure, enhancing program operations, and improving information on best practices for use by local program staff. [Funded in part by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Families, Information dissemination, Local initiatives, Needs assessment, Oral health, Program improvement

Annotation: This literature review summarizes findings from evaluations of social interventions and programs that targeted African American children and adolescents. The 53 programs evaluated took place during out-of-school time, and are identified as either found to work, not proven to work, or mixed reviews. The programs and interventions evaluated -- drawn from the Child Trends LINKS database of random assigned, intent-to-treat studies of social interventions for children and adolescents -- are divided into the following categories: substance use, literacy, physical health and nutrition, social skills, school readiness, externalizing, academic achievement, and delinquency.

• Link

Keywords: Adolescents, Blacks, Children, Intervention, Literature reviews, Minority health, Model programs, Program evaluation, Social programs

Annotation: This fact sheet reviews 38 evaluated programs to identify what works to promote social skills among children and adolescents (such as getting along with others, expressing empathy to others, trying to resolve conflicts, and regulating emotions and behaviors). It highlights programs (27 out of 38) that significantly increased at least one social skill in children and adolescents. It also discusses the effectiveness of programs that incorporated peer-teaching, group discussion, or role modeling, as well as teacher-led instruction. The fact sheet includes a chart summarizing the programs and whether they were found to work, not proven to work, or had mixed findings.

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Keywords: Adolescent development, Adolescents, Child development, Children, Community programs, Program evaluation, Psychological development, Psychosocial development, Social behavior, Social interaction, Social skills

Annotation: This monograph summarizes what is know about evaluated clinic interventions that help to prevent adolescent pregnancy. In addition to providing information about specific, clinic-based programs, the monograph reviews some critical policies and practices that may contribute to an intervention's success. The monograph identifies and describes three categories of most effective programs; discusses specific clinic protocols that appear to improve adolescent contracteptive use, as well as characteristics of successful clinics; and provides a chart identifying and describing programs that have been identified as most effective.

• Link

Keywords: Adolescent behavior, Adolescent pregnancy, Adolescent sexuality, Community programs, Contraception, Family planning clinics, Intervention, Prevention

Annotation: This report summarizes a review of Alabama’s Medicaid dental program conducted on January 4–8, 2010, to discover practices and program innovations leading to a higher level of oral-health-service use among children in Alabama compared to the national average. The report describes the Smile Alabama initiative, the 1st Look program, Student/Resident Rotations in Community Health, the partnership with the University of Alabama School of Dentistry, and the loan-repayment program.

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• Program Website

Keywords: Alabama, Arizona, Children, Collaboration, Health care delivery, Health care utilization, Maryland, Medicaid, Model programs, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oral health, Rhode Island, State programs, Texas, Virginia

Annotation: This fact sheet presents findings from experimental evaluations of fifteen programs and intervention strategies that focused on improving early language and literacy skills. The programs and interventions selected, which were drawn from the Child Trends' database of studies called LINKS (Lifecourse Interventions to Nurture Kids Successfully), focus on strategies to directly improve specific aspects of young children’s language or literacy skills (for example, vocabulary development, print knowledge, and listening skills). A table summarizes the experimental evaluations of the fifteen selected interventions, noting whether they were found to work, not work, or received mixed reviews. Glossaries of terminology and programs reviewed are also provided.

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Keywords: Children, Early intervention programs, Language development, Literacy, Models, Program evaluation, Youth

Annotation: This final report presents descriptive information and key findings from the Study of the Implementation of Research-Based Programs to Prevent Youth Substance Abuse and School Crime funded by the U.S. Department of Education. (The purpose of the study was to measure the prevalence of research-based programs in schools intended to prevent youth substance abuse and school crime and to assess the implementation of those research-based programs.) The report discusses the prevalence of youth alcohol, tobacco, other drug use, and school crime and analyzes research-based efforts to address these problems. Tables compare research-based programs according to type, instructional level, and other variables. A list of effective programs is included.

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Keywords: Adolescent health, Crime prevention, Evaluation, Model programs, Prevention programs, School linked programs, Studies, Substance abuse prevention, Youth

Annotation: This report examines interventions designed to reduce or eliminate smoking during pregnancy. Using a systematic review methodology from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) combined with a "better practices" methodology developed in 2002, the report identifies components of interventions and programs for pregnant smokers that commonly appear in the effective interventions. These components include counseling, peer support, quit guides, partner counseling, information/education, nicotine replacement therapies, incentives, feedback about biological changes, group support, and various forms of follow up. Based on evidence for their effectiveness and methodological strength, the authors recommend 14 interventions and classify 27 others as “showing promise.”

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Keywords: Interventions, Pregnant women, Program improvement, Research reviews, Smoking cessation

Annotation: This report presents findings of a study of school health services offered in Kentucky school districts during the 2008-2009 school year and offers highlights of promising practices across the state. The study addressed physical, oral, and mental health and substance abuse services. Study topics included school health service funding, school health services offered, and types of school health services provided. In addition to the findings, the report presents background and an overview of the school health survey project.

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Keywords: Oral health, Adolescent health, Child health, Financing, Health services, Kentucky, Mental health, School districts, School health, State programs, State surveys, Substance abuse prevention programs

Annotation: This paper provides an overview of family engagement as it relates to school health and student achievement. It discusses school health policies, practices, and strategies that school boards and public education administrators can use to effectively engage families. Sidebars provide inks to additional tools and resources such as sample family engagement policies, evidence-based practices, and family engagement surveys.

Keywords: Academic achievement, Education, Family school relations, Parent child relations, Parent participation, School health, School linked programs

Annotation: This document provides a list of programs that have been evaluated and found to be successful in changing adolescent sexual behavior, including delaying sexual initiation, improving contraceptive use, and reducing adolescent pregnancy. For each program, the document lists selected program effects, contact information, and links to additional program and evaluation information. The document offers advice on how to choose a program, catalogs the characteristics of effective programs, and offers some words of caution about what an effective program actually can accomplish.

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Keywords: Prevention programs, Resources for professionals, Adolescent pregnancy, Adolescent sexuality, Brochures, Intervention, Program descriptions

Annotation: This fact sheet reviews 38 evaluated programs to identify what works to promote social skills among children and adolescents (such as getting along with others, expressing empathy to others, trying to resolve conflicts, and regulating emotions and behaviors). It highlights programs (27 out of 38) that significantly increased at least one social skill in children and adolescents. It also discusses the effectiveness of programs that incorporated peer-teaching, group discussion, or role modeling, as well as teacher-led instruction. The fact sheet includes a chart summarizing the programs and whether they were found to work, not proven to work, or had mixed findings.

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Keywords: Adolescent development, Adolescents, Child development, Children, Model programs, Program evaluation, Psychological development, Psychosocial development, Social behavior, Social interaction, Social skills

Annotation: This fact sheet describes lessons learned from rigorously evaluated programs designed to prevent or treat internalizing problems in adolescents. Topics include what internalizing problems were found and what impacts were found, including interventions that were found to work, those that had mixed findings, and those not proven to work. Implications of the findings and needed research are also discussed. [Funded in part by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Adolescents, Mental health programs, Prevention services, Program evaluation, Treatment effectiveness

Annotation: In this webcast, three bullying-prevention and -intervention experts provide guidance on what bullying is and discuss challenges in defining and identifying bullying behaviors. Presenters highight key findings from research on the prevalence of bullying and the varied roles that children and adolescents can play in bullying situations. Presenters also discuss actions that children and adolescents believe may be helpful in addressing bullying and best-practice strategies to communicate with adolescents who bully, are bullied, or witness bullying.

Keywords: Adolescent attitudes, Adolescent behavior, Bullying, Child attitudes, Child behavior, Intervention, Prevention, Research

Annotation: This toolkit, for health care professionals in Vermont, provides evidence-based care topics for improving the health and prenatal care of pregnant women. It describes the Improving Prenatal Care in Vermont (IPCV) project and identifies "best practice" prenatal guidelines and assists obstetric service providers in incorporating these guidelines in to their office systems. Topics include practice assessment, patient satisfaction, tobacco cessation, nutrition, breastfeeding readiness, gestational diabetes, psychosocial/behavioral, substance abuse, intimate partner violence, depression, preterm labor, infectious disease, environmental exposure, and genetic screening. This is a companion document to the "State Guide for Improving Prenatal Care".

• Practice Toolkit Main Page

Keywords: Genetic screening, Guidelines, Nutrition, Pregnancy, Pregnant women, Prenatal care, Prenatal education, Resources for professionals, Sexually transmitted diseases, State programs, Vermont

Annotation: The Promising Practices in Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Program is dedicated to facilitating program replication and new collaborations between health plans and other MCH stakeholders, especially those working in communities and in the public sector. This web site provides a searchable database for promising practices programs funded by the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, fact sheets, and MCH searchable databases resources from other groups, such as the National Association of County and City Health Officials Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Toolkit; the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs' Innovation Station; and CityMatCH's Life Course Toolbox. The full web site also includes information on news, research, publications, conferences and webinars, awards, grants, and links to relevant topics in MCH, prevention, and wellness.

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Keywords: Adolescent health, Child health, Databases, Directories, MCH programs, Maternal health, Model programs, Program descriptions

Annotation: This guide highlights approaches and challenges by states to integrate genomics into their public health programs. The guide is divided into the following three sections: (1) Overview of Public Health Genomics Today, (2) Promising Practices in Public Health Genomics, and (3) Charting a Path in Your State. The framework features state examples and tools and resources that can be used in other states.

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Keywords: Genomics, Model programs, Public health programs, State health agencies, Statewide planning

Annotation: This book explores the elements that are essential to improving quality, safety and performance across the continuum of perinatal care. it covers the importance of consistent data collection and measurement; evidence-based initiatives; adherence to clinical practice guidelines; the life-course perspective; care that is patient- and family-centered, culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate; policies that support quality perinatal care; and systems change. Each chapter illustrates specific strategies and interventions that incorporate process and systems change that can improve perinatal care, including statewide quality improvement collaboratives. It includes examples of promising and successful initiatives at hospitals and within healthcare systems across the country.

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Keywords: Guidelines, Intervention, Model programs, Perinatal care, Perinatal health, Program improvement, Safety, State initiatives

Annotation: This research brief brings together findings from a variety of research resources to identify 10 actionable, feasible goals involving non-school factors that affect educational outcomes and can be addressed through out-of-school-time programs. The goals include (1) reduce unintended pregnancies, (2) improve prenatal and postnatal maternal health, (3) improve parenting practices among parents of infants and young children, (4) improve young children's nutrition and encourage mothers to breastfeed, (5) enhance the quality and availability of educational child care, preschool, pre-kindergarten, and full-day kindergarten, (6) connect children and adolescents with long-term mentors, (7) improve parenting practices among parents of school-age children and adolescents, (8) provide family and couples counseling to improve family functioning, (9) provide high-quality educational after-school and summer programs, and (10) develop positive social skills and reduce delinquency among adolescents. The brief describes research findings related to each goal and types of programs that effectively address each goal.

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Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy, Adolescents, Breastfeeding promotion, Child care, Children, Early childhood education, Educational attainment, Families, Family support services, Infants, Nutrition, Parenting skills, Prenatal care, Prevention, Programs, Unwanted pregnancy, Women's health, Young children

Annotation: This fact sheet provides an overview of smoking cessation and answers the following questions: (1) What is tobacco cessation; (2) why is quitting tobacco use so difficult? (3) how effective are cessation services? (4) how do tobacco cessation services compare to other services? (5) what are the benefits of quitting? and (6) are tobacco cessation insurance benefits and services cost effective? The fact sheet compares individual interventions such as counseling and pharmacotherapy with population-based interventions such as clean air laws and excise tax increases. Included are links to additional tobacco-cessation fact sheets.

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Keywords: Intervention, Model programs, Prevention services, Smoking cessation, State initiatives, Tobacco use

Annotation: This report highlights how the neighborhoods where Latino and African-American boys and young men grow up directly influence their health outcomes. It examines racial and ethnic disparities -- and the magnitude of these disparities -- between boys and young men of color and white boys and young men across four broad areas: health, safety, socioeconomic, and ready-to-learn. The report analysis and findings point to the need for comprehensive policy solutions implemented at the community level in order to reduce such disparities. Examples of promising programs in communities across the country are provided.

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Keywords: Adolescent males, Blacks, Community programs, Culturally competent services, Ethnic factors, Factor analysis, Hispanic Americans, Life course, Male children, Minority health, Model programs, Neighborhoods, Policy development, Racial factors, Socioeconomic factors, Underserved communities, Young men

Annotation: This report includes eight case studies of programs providing innovative service for adolescents and young adults (ages 16-24) who have both a developmental disability and a mental health condition. The report also includes six short descriptions of specific best practices. The programs featured in the report include a school-based transition program, outpatient mental health services, an employment-preparation program, programs supporting youth transitions from restrictive environments to community settings, system-level crisis-prevention and intervention planning, and system-level planning and consultation.

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Keywords: Adolescents, Case studies, Developmental disabilities, Developmental disability programs, Health services, Mental disorders, Mental health, Mental health services, Model programs, Prevention, Program, Service delivery systems, Social services, Transition planning, Young adults, Youth in transition programs

Annotation: This fact sheet reviews 51 evaluated programs that targeted children and youth from one to 19 years of age for impacts on nutrition, physical activity, and/or weight loss. It discusses how programs that focus on only nutrition, physical activity, or weight loss tend to be more successful than those that simultaneously focus on all three outcome categories and how successful physical activity programs generally implement skill-building techniques, require participants to track their own exercise progress, and may have a therapy or counseling components. The fact sheet includes short descriptions of the programs and whether they were found to work, not proven to work, or had mixed findings for nutrition, physical activity, and weight loss.

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Keywords: Child health, Children, Nutrition, Obesity, Physical activity, Program descriptions, Weight management

Annotation: This brief summarizes the progress made by two Washington-state communities in developing home-based early learning (HBEL) services. Based on data collected by Mathematica during site visits in 2008 and 2009, the brief summaries the need for HBEL and the implementation of services during the first year in White Center (outside of Seattle) and East Yakima (in central Washington). It explains how the communities selected programs to implement and how they prepared for service delivery. It then describes the implementation of two established home visiting models (Nurse Family Partnership and Parents as Teachers) and the piloting of a newly developed model(Partnering with Families for Early Learning). The brief concludes by highlighting key lessons learned and next steps for ongoing development of the HBEL service delivery system.

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Keywords: Community programs, Early childhood education, Home visiting, Model programs, Parent child relations, Parent education, Parent participation, Parent support services, Service delivery systems, Washington

Annotation: This synthesis examines findings from 66 studies that implemented random assignment intent-to-treat experimental evaluations of programs that include home visiting as a program component. Topics include programs that work as well as the intervention strategies that contribute to program success. Analyses are segmented by the target population served (birth to age 3, ages 4-5, 6-11, and 12-17).

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Keywords: Child health, Children, Home visiting, Literature reviews, Outcome evaluation, Program evaluation, Studies

Annotation: The study analyzes efforts in Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to conduct early identification and intervention strategies for children with developmental and mental health problems. The report focuses on strategies states have used to make infant and early childhood mental health systems more comprehensive and the process of change. It highlights different approaches, such as using frequent mental health screening tools in Medicaid's Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment program to improve the health of low-income children.

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Keywords: Child behavior, Child mental health, Children with developmental disabilities, Children with special health care needs, Colorado, EPSDT, Early intervention, Indiana, Low income groups, Massachusetts, Model programs, Rhode Island, Screening, State initiatives

Annotation: This report presents best practices to raise awareness, improve clinical responses, and strengthen community partnerships in support of the health and safety of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Indian Country, Arizona. The best practices are a compilation of stories and strategies implemented at hospitals and clinics that piloted the Family Violence Prevention Fund Project in Indian Country. Topics include why there is violence against Native American women, a history of health care domestic violence reform in Indian Country, domestic violence as a health care issue, and how to create a domestic violence response.

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Keywords: American Indians, Arizona, Communities, Domestic violence, Families, Health care, Prevention, Safety, Women's health

Annotation: This book presents research findings on the effects of a variety of early childhood programs and practices for young children and families and their implications for policy development and reform. It includes discussions from leading scholars in the human development and early childhood learning on the effects and cost-effectiveness of model state and federally funded programs such as Head Start, the WIC nutrition program, Child-Parent Centers, the Perry Preschool, and the Nurse-Family Centers. Part I covers prenatal and infant programs; Part II looks at preschool education; Part III explores kindergarten and early school-age services and practices; Part IV covers the economic synthesis of early childhood investments. Tables compare impacts on selected child and family outcomes by program model and compare state-by-state costs and benefits of selected programs.

Keywords: Early childhood development, Early childhood education, Federal programs, Model programs, Outcome evaluation, Policy development, Program evaluation, State programs

Annotation: This policy briefing paper addresses issues related to promoting children's social and emotional development in Texas. The paper explains why promoting children's social and emotional development is important and discusses current policy in Texas, what research says about best practices for enhancing social and emotional development, and better investment choices for Texas.

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Keywords: Behavior problems, Child development, Early childhood development, Emotional development, Family support services, Financing, Intervention, Parenting skills, Prevention, Public policy, Research, School readiness, Screening, Social skills, State programs, Texas

Annotation: This report identifies existing best-practice models of community components incorporated in pipelines of support, starting with prenatal programs and ending when young people graduate from college, that seek to help children in poverty and those at high risk secure educational and economic opportunities. The report is intended to help communities interested in developing their own youth-focused, place-based initiatives modeled on the Harlem Children's Zone. It lists programs that have been shown to be effective via their participation in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

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Keywords: Adolescents, Children, Community programs, Education, Educational attainment, Evaluation, Families, Family support programs, High risk adolescents, High risk children, High risk groups, Infants, Low income groups, Model programs, Poverty, Prenatal care, Young adults, Young children

Annotation: This Web site provides information about federal programs and how they are performing. The site describes how programs are assessed and rated using the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) and provides a list of federal programs that have been rated. Users may view a list of programs that are performing or are not performing, or they may select programs by topic or by agency. The listing shows the agency, the program name, the funding level, the date of the last PART assessment, and the rating the program received. Links to each program's home page are also provided.

• Link

Keywords: Assessment, Federal programs, Model programs, Program evaluation, Resource materials, World Wide Web

Annotation: This toolkit summarizes the experiences of plans that participated in the Collaborative on Improving Managed Care Quality for Youth with Serious Behavioral Health Needs, an initiative that worked with nine health plans to test a number of approaches to better serve children and adolescents with serious emotional disorders. The toolkit presents promising practices implemented by the plans and the resulting impact on access, care, and avoidance of unnecessary services and costs; challenges identified and addressed by the plans and lessons learned; and opportunities for continued innovation.

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Keywords: Access to health care, Adolescent mental health, Child mental health, Community programs, Costs, Emotional instability, Health services, Initiatives, Medicaid managed care, Mental disorders, Model programs

Annotation: This report focuses on home visitation as an early childhood intervention strategy in the United States. It discusses the history of home visitation, reviews the literature on the effectiveness of nationally recognized home visitation interventions, and discusses the limitations of the existing empirical base as well as the lessons learned. The report concludes with considerations for practice, research, and policy in the field of home visitation. Comparative descriptions of key national home visiting models; a listing of the components of home visiting that influence treatment adherence; and a discussion of barriers to policy implementation are included.

• Report

Keywords: Comparative analysis, Early intervention, High risk children, Home visiting, Infants, Literature reviews, Model programs, Policy development, Program evaluation, Young children

Annotation: This paper focuses on issues that affect socio-emotional development during early childhood. It discusses the prevalence of problems among young children, family and environmental risk factors, the role of foster care and child welfare, the failure of current service delivery and support systems, practice barriers due to Medicaid and other state policies, the adverse impact of unmet needs on young children, and recommendations for policymakers. A chart describes 11 evidence-based strategies for prevention, early recognition and identification, and intervention.

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Keywords: Model programs, Early childhood development, Families, Family support, Foster care, Health services delivery, Low income groups, Medicaid, Public policy, Risk factors, Young children

Annotation: This report summarizes the findings from a study of six early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) programs that have demonstrated positive child, family, staff, and/ or program outcomes. The study is based on data gathered during two-day site visits and focuses on the following key questions: 1) What are the essential components of effective mental health consultation programs? 2) What are the skills, competencies, and credentials of effective consultants? 3) What are the training, supervision and support needs of consultants? 4) What level of intervention intensity (i.e., frequency and duration) is needed to produce good outcomes? 5) Which outcomes should be targeted and how should they be measured? The study also reports on the extent to which consultation efforts are occurring nationally and provides a series of recommendations from experts in the field to guide policy makers, funders, researchers, evaluators, early childhood mental health consultation providers, and early care and education programs administrators.

• Full Report
• Executive Summary

Keywords: Child health, Consultation, Data collection, Field studies , Measures, Mental health, Model programs, Program evaluation

Annotation: This report is intended to give local stakeholders the information and tools necessary to develop and use indicators for social-emotional development. The report includes (1) definitions of key concepts related to establishing indicators; (2) seven recommended indicators for social-emotional development; (3) a framework to determine local priorities and get started with indicator adoption, (4) resources for finding data at the community level for each indicator, and (5) how to interpret and use data collected for each of the suggested indicators. Examples of successful use of these indicators in states and local communities are provided.

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Keywords: Behavior problems, Child abuse, Child development, Child health, Communities, Community programs, Depression, Emotional development, Mental disorders, Social indicators, Statistical data, Young children

Annotation: This fact sheet synthesizes findings from 67 evaluations of parent-involvement interventions for children ages 6-11 to identify components and strategies associated with successful programs and interventions. Programs sought to engage parents in efforts to achieve outcomes for their child such as academic achievement or attendance, a reduction in internalizing behaviors such as depression or anxiety and of externalizing behaviors such as aggression, avoidance of substance abuse, avoidance of risky sexual behavior, and achieving health and fitness. The fact sheet presents lessons learned from programs that work, don't work, or have mixed results.

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Keywords: Academic achievement, Anxiety, Child behavior, Child health, Children, Depression, Intervention, Mental health, Model programs, Parent child relations, Parents, Prevention, Program evaluation, Programs, Sexual behavior, Substance abuse

Annotation: This brief presents findings from a project to identify and assess local-level programs and policies that have been implemented with apparent success to prevent obesity by improving the eating habits and physical activity levels of children ages 3-17. The report focuses on the evaluability assessments conducted on comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs), which includes programming before, during, and after the school day. Topics include the extent to which CSPAPs have been implemented and the limitations of implementation in one school and one school district. The report concludes with lessons learned and recommendations to inform future implementation by district and school personnel and other key decision makers. The appendices contain the selection critieria, interview topics, and logic model.

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Keywords: Adolescents, After school programs, Children, Ethnic groups, Health behavior, Local initiatives, Low income groups, Model programs, Obesity, Physical activity, Policy analysis, Prevention programs, Program evaluation, School health programs, Young children

Annotation: This guide summarizes clinical evidence about prenatal treatment and delivery management for women with gestational diabetes. It also summarizes evidence about follow-up for the development of type 2 diabetes among women who have had gestational diabetes. The guide discusses the clinical issue, insulin and hypoglycemic medications, the timing and mode of delivery, considerations, and a resource for women.

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Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Gestational diabetes, Hypoglycemia, Pregnant women, Prenatal care, Treatment, Women's health

Annotation: This report presents state strategies to monitor and improve access to oral health care for children enrolled in Medicaid and actions taken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since 2007 to improve oversight of Medicaid oral health services for children. Topics include methods to monitor the provision of services, measures to monitor access to services, statewide utilization goals, access standards for services provided under Medicaid managed care, actions to educate families on the importance of oral health care and to recruit oral health professionals, barriers that hinder state initiatives to improve access to services, and state-reported best practices for improving care.

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Keywords: Access to health care, Children, Health care utilization, Low income groups, Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Model programs, Oral health

Annotation: This document describes 26 programs found to be effective in reducing adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including those that are school-based, community-based, and clinic-based. It discusses the criteria for inclusion and major program effects.

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Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy, HIV, Model programs, Prevention, Programs, Sexuality education, Sexually transmitted diseases

Annotation: This fact sheet synthesizes findings from LINKS, the Child Trends database of experimental evaluations of social interventions for children and youth. The fact sheet focuses on programs that address adolescent reproductive health. This database includes more than 50 programs whose effects on reproductive health have been experimentally evaluated. The fact sheet identifies themes that recurr in programs that work, programs that don't work, and programs that have received mixed reviews. Much of the fact sheet consists of a table that divides programs by outcome area and then lists programs not proven to work, those found to work, and those with mixed findings. The electronic version of the report contains links to the Child Trends database so readers can see a fuller description and contact information for each program.

• Link

Keywords: Adolescent behavior, Adolescent health, Adolescent sexuality, Evaluation, Programs, Reproductive health

Annotation: This workbook is for public health practitioners and partners interested in addressing social determinants of health to promote health and achieve health equity. The workbook discusses health equity and how to achieve it and provides case studies of initiatives and programs working to achieve health equity. Information on how to develop a social determinants of health equity initiative is provided.

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Keywords: Initiatives, Case studies, Community programs, Health, Model programs, Program development, Public health, Social factors

Annotation: This report consists of two main sections. The first section comprises a literature review outlining current best practices in health care systems change. The second section describes the National Community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health (CCOE) program and documents how CCOEs have implemented systems change, including examples and lessons learned. CCOEs are sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health. The report concludes with an analysis of how CCOEs may serve as models for other systems change initiatives.

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Keywords: Health care systems, Literature reviews, Model programs, Women's health

Annotation: This book provides a directory of effective sexual education programs in the United States, all of which are aimed at a variety of age groups, and ethnic, cultural, and sexual orientations. Each program description contains the following: an abstract, program rationale and history, schedule, materials, a description of implementation steps, and an evaluation section. Sites of the programs include schools, community settings, and medical clinics.

Keywords: Sexuality education, Adolescents, Cultural beliefs, Ethnic groups, Homosexuality, Model programs, Prevention programs, Program descriptions, Sexual behavior, Sexually transmitted diseases

Annotation: This report highlights service-delivery approaches and strategies that show promise for improving the oral-health-care-delivery system and for promoting oral health in Head Start. The report includes descriptions of each of the strategies and provides examples of how grantees implemented the practices in different program settings and with different target populations.

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Keywords: Federal initiatives, Head Start, Health care delivery, Health promotion, Model programs, Oral health, Service delivery systems, Young children

Annotation: This set of research briefs provides policymakers with a summary of evidence on several early childhood interventions and their impact on children and families. The briefs discuss (1) state pre-kindergarten programs, (2) Head Start, (3) Early Head Start, (4) model early childhood programs (Abecedarian project, High Scope/Perry Preschool, and Chicago Child-Parent Centers), and (5) nurse home visiting. For each, the brief explains what the intervention is, what is its impact, and how impacts vary.

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Keywords: Early Head Start, Early intervention programs, Head Start, Home visiting, Model programs, Oral health, Public policy, State programs, Young children

Annotation: This guide provides community examples, best practices, and information on specific tools and resources that can assist systems of care communities, partnering agencies, and organizations to build and promote cultural and linguistic competency (CLC). It is organized around six domains: governance and organization infrastructure, services and supports, planning and continuous quality improvements, collaboration, communication, and workforce development. Each domain contains descriptions of specific implementation strategies, examples of best practices in the field, internet links to important resources that can help leaders and practitioners design culturally and linguistically competent practices and policies, and performance indicators and measures that can be used to assess the outcomes of approaches used to actualize CLC.

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Keywords: Case studies, Community programs, Cultural competence, Cultural sensitivity, Culturally competent services, Language barriers, Model programs, Resources for professionals, Sociocultural factors

Annotation: This report describes efforts across the country to build an evidence base showing that the patient-centered medical home model of care leads to cost savings, better health outcomes, and higher patient satisfaction. The report presentes a state-by state guide showing the status of medical home model pragrams, describes joint principles of the patient-centered medical home, and presents evidence on effectiveness.

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Keywords: Costs, Health care delivery, Medical home, Model programs, State programs