BUILDING BRIDGES AMONG HEALTH & EARLY
CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS SPEAKER’S KIT
The Big Picture
It is a pleasure to share this toolkit for the Building Bridges Among Health & Early
Childhood Systems project. This project is a collaborative effort between the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) chapters and state early childhood systems, funded by the
Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The Building Bridges project seeks to establish
leadership in early brain and child development (EBCD) at the state level in order to
develop and implement sustainable connections between health care professionals and
state early childhood systems. More specifically, this initiative is a mechanism to cultivate
ongoing collaborative efforts between Chapter Child Care Contacts (CCCCs) and early
childhood systems leaders.
The timing of this effort is aligned with the AAP’s Strategic Priority on EBCD. Promotion of
optimal early brain and child development is essential for the health and well-being of all
our nation’s children. Child development has always been the foundation for lifelong
health, and community and economic development. Indeed, brains are built over time
prenatally to young adulthood. They are built in a cumulative, bottom up manner that
requires a solid foundation for lifelong health.
Paul Batalden, MD, states that "every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets."
It is time to unite around a common vision for children and build bridges at the state level
to ensure that we are all moving together. By doing this, we can invest in the economic
development of our communities and collaborate to build lifelong health for our children.
Many examples of effective models of health and early childhood systems collaboration
exist. There are also countless inspiring champions whose stories can be told and can
provide direction. Even so, there is an incredible opportunity to break down silos and a
significant need to build bridges.
Developing relationships by nurturing parent and caregivers’ relationships and cultivating
relationships between health professionals and early childhood systems will provide
children with endless possibilities. As pediatricians and leaders in state early childhood
systems, you are uniquely poised to support efforts to move this agenda forward and to
build new bridges in your roles as trusted access points to our nation’s youngest children.
You have the ability to recruit other champions within your states to increase the reach
and sustainability of your program initiatives.
It is our hope that this toolkit provides useful resources to support state teams on this
exciting journey.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has” (Margaret Mead).
Dina Lieser, MD, FAAP, Editor
Review: Vivian Gabor, MPH and Shannon Christian, MPP
BUILDING BRIDGES AMONG HEALTH & EARLY
CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS SPEAKER’S KIT
CONTENTS OF THIS SPEAKER’S KIT:
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General Tips
Program Fact Sheets
PowerPoint Presentations
Worksheets
Sample Meeting Agenda
Sample E-communications (for outreach with selected systems representatives)
Web Resources
Sample Templates (for system collaboration, project outcomes, and/or evaluation)
GENERAL TIPS:
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Simply reaching out and identifying yourself as a potential partner with a common
interest in the well-being of children can open up tremendous opportunities.
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There are many “tables” where the voice of a pediatrician is absent, but welcomed
and important. These tables include policy work, educational efforts, early
intervention systems, practitioner education and other state efforts that intimately
impact the health and lives of children. Take the steps to identify them and “be the
change.”
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Often pediatricians are absent from these tables not because they are not wanted
there, but because the systems were developed in a silo. Or, past attempts to reach
out and engage health professionals may have been unsuccessful. Look at this as an
OPPORTUNITY to break from the status quo.
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It is worthwhile to take time to develop common language. Often, many basic terms
(including medical home and child care) are misunderstood. It is also easy to
revert to our own acronyms and other professional jargon. This can get in the way
of planning. Acknowledge it, have fun and think of a plan and process to “get
through it.”
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Often, it is about putting yourself in the right place at the right time to strategically
move ahead with your vision. By reaching out and cultivating relationships and
being clear about your passions, vision, knowledge and capacity, you will often be
called upon to weigh in on critical policy pieces, invited to activities or committee
meetings, and/or offered leadership roles that will go a long way in promoting
EBCD. This will enhance your own professional development and opportunities as
well.
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While partnerships take time and nurturing, and often have growing pains, they
can also be enjoyable, sustainable relationships. They can provide tremendous
rewards not only for common outcomes but for realizing daily ease and efficiency
in your work across clinical, community and policy areas. These relationships can
be personally enriching.
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It really is “RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS.” We know this for
early childhood health, but it is also the case for partnership building and
BUILDING BRIDGES AMONG HEALTH & EARLY
CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS SPEAKER’S KIT
supporting integrating systems at the state level.
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“Circles of Contacts” - You may be connected with many more state systems and
leaders than you know. Play the “who-do-you-know” game with the list of systems
with your close colleagues and likely prospects. Seize this opportunity to partner
with other pediatricians, including retirees.
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Have Fun!
COMMON ROLES THAT YOU CAN PLAY AS A BRIDGE BUILDER ACROSS SYSTEMS:
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Talk about primary care as a critical access point to young children and a core
component of an early childhood system. Promote it as a highly utilized access
point to our nation’s children.
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Be a resource for pediatricians by sharing information about early childhood
systems that is important to be aware of and to link to in your community. It can be
challenging for some systems to effectively navigate outreach to pediatricians.
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Contribute to conversations in the role as content advisor or in an educator
capacity.
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Identify health promotion opportunities across child serving systems (ECCS, QRIS,
etc.).
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Identify and link early childhood comprehensive service agendas with active health
policy opportunities (i.e. Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, &
Treatment; Patient-centered Medical Home; Accountable Care Organizations, etc.).
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Provide concrete guidance on enhancing communication between child serving
systems and the medical home.
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Identify joint funding opportunities: promote creative cross-systems funding
approaches that are grounded in following the child and realizing economies,
instead of following the system and sustaining the system.
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Identify common educational topics and venues. Promote forums granting
Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Education Units that satisfy crosssystem education and licensing requirements. These can bring stakeholders
together and build a common core knowledge base.
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Identify shared vision areas, information and processes for promoting the health of
children. Use what you have in common with other systems to move the agenda
forward.
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Pediatricians should be ready and willing to offer ideas and strategies on how early
childhood systems can involve them, recognizing and working around their busy
schedules.