Overview of
Healthy Child Care America
Overview: HCCA
Healthy Child Care America/Child
Care Health Partnership
(HCCA/CCHP)
The HCCA/CCHP program is coordinated by the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Early
Education and Child Care Initiatives (the Section on
Early Education and Child Care), and is partly funded
by the Office of Child Care (OCC), Administration for
Children and Families (ACF), and the Maternal and
Child Health Bureau, HRSA, US Department of Health
& Human Services.
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
HCCA/CCHP
• A collaborative effort to improve early education,
health, and safety of children in out-of-home
child care.
• Includes:
• Increasing access to preventive health services
• Safe physical environments
• Medical home for all children
• Strives to increase pediatrician participation and
effectiveness in providing high-quality care and
promoting early education and children’s health
and well-being.
www.healthychildcare.org
The Impact of Pediatricians on Early Education and Child Care
Guidance to
Families
Families
Health Consultation
Pediatricians
Other Child
Care Health
Consultants
Early Education
and Child Care
Professionals
Chapter Child
Care Contacts
Government
Agencies
Families
Advocacy
Residents and
Medical Students
Child Care Early Education
and Child Care
Health
Consultants Professionals
Families
The Impact of Pediatricians on Early Education and Child Care
Guidance to
Families
• Pediatricians can:
• Help families weigh their child care options.
• Provide information on finding and evaluating child care.
• Underscore the importance of quality child care.
• On an ongoing basis, discuss the parents’ observations of
their child’s experiences and response to child care.
• Develop an individual care plan for children with special
needs.
• Address parent questions and concerns.
• Promote a 3-way partnership among the pediatrician, family,
and caregiver.
The Impact of Pediatricians on Early Education and Child Care
Health Consultation
• Pediatricians can:
• Provide child care health consultation services to a local child
care program by observing and providing input on the health
and safety related strengths and needed improvements in the
environment and program operation as well as addressing
concerns raised by the child care staff on an ongoing basis.
• Ensure that each enrolled child has a medical home, respecting
the difference between program consultation and clinical
relationships.
• Resolve apparently conflicting health and safety advice that the
child care program receives from different sources.
• Conduct health education for staff, parents, and children.
• Mentor other child care health consultants by providing
technical assistance by phone or e-mail.
The Impact of Pediatricians on Early Education and Child Care
Advocacy
• Pediatricians can:
•
•
•
•
Serve on an advisory board (eg, a Head Start program or a child care resource and
referral agency’s Board of Directors).
Conduct workshops on child development, health, and safety.
Participate in early childhood professional organizations and conferences.
Serve as their AAP’s Chapter Child Care Contact, which may include:
– Participating on the Early Childhood Advisory Council
– Assisting government agencies (eg, Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems, Child
Care and Development Fund State Administrators, etc)
– Comparing the state’s child care licensing regulations with AAP recommended
guidelines, and determining how they can work to enhance or improve existing
regulations.
•
•
•
•
•
Advocate for policy that supports health and development information exchange and
partnership between the medical home, families, and child care community.
Write articles on health for child care newsletters .
Conduct research on health and safety in child care.
Teach pediatric residents and medical students about child care.
Teach other pediatricians about their role in promoting health and safety in child care.
Overview: HCCA
Chapter Child Care Contacts
• A network of volunteer pediatric
child care experts
• Serve as liaisons between their
AAP chapter and the SOEECC
• Child care professionals & CCCCs
can work to increase collaboration
on child care activities
• Health care professionals & CCCCs can educate one another,
improve practices, advocate, etc
Locate the CCCC in your area:
www.healthychildcare.org/cccc.html
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
Healthy Futures: Improving Health
Outcomes for Young Children
Medication Administration in Child Care and Managing Infectious
Disease in Child Care Curriculums
 Curriculums for managing infectious diseases
and medication administration designed for early
education and child care professionals are available
on the HCCA Web site.
 Online learning modules are under development
that will be offered free of charge.
 Implementation grants for Chapters will be
offered in Summer 2012 and 2013.
www.healthychildcare.org/HealthyFutures.html
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
www.healthychildcare.org
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
HCCA Web site Resources
• Information on Health and Safety
Standards
• Safe Sleep Guidelines
• Crib Regulations
• Newsletters for Caregivers and Health
Care Providers
• Webinars/PowerPoint Presentations
• Links to Important State Contacts
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
Resource
Library
Search through a wealth
of resources on early
education and child care
by:
- Topic
- Type
- AAP resources
- Materials for families
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
Here’s an example of
a search.
 Topic: infectious
diseases
 Type: Handout
**The Resource Library
is regularly updated.**
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
AAP Key Resources
Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance
Standards Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Ed
• Your primary reference for health and safety
in child care!
• 686 standards and recommendations
• Developed by AAP/APHA health and safety
experts
• Full text is available at:
http://nrckids.org/CFOC/index.html
• Print copies from:
AAP, APHA, NAEYC
http://tinyurl.aap.org/pub38873
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
AAP Key Resources
Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools:
A Quick Reference Guide, 2nd Ed
Includes more than 50 quick reference fact sheets on
common diseases and symptoms featuring:
• Easy-to-understand explanations
• Strategies for limiting spread of infection
• Exclusion and readmission criteria
• Guidance on which situations require immediate
medical attention
http://tinyurl.aap.org/pub52359
(Available as an AAP eBook)
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
AAP Key Resources
Managing Chronic Health Needs in Child Care and
Schools: Quick Reference Guide
Includes more than 35 quick-access fact sheets
that describes specific conditions, like:
– Allergies
– Asthma
– Autism
– Diabetes
– Heart conditions & Defects
– Seizures
Also includes:
–
–
–
–
Care plans
Emergency planning recommendations
Ready-to-use sample letters & forms
Medication administration issues
http://tinyurl.aap.org/pub92742 (Available as an AAP eBook)
www.healthychildcare.org
Overview: HCCA
Contact Information
Mail:
American Academy of Pediatrics
Department of Community and Specialty Pediatrics
Division of Developmental Pediatrics & Preventive Services
Early Education and Child Care Initiatives
141 Northwest Point Blvd
Elk Grove Village IL 60007
Phone:
888-227-5409
Fax:
847-228-7320
E-mail:
childcare@aap.org
Web site:
www.healthychildcare.org
www.healthychildcare.org