Evaluating initiatives implemented across multiple settings can elucidate how various contextual factors may influence both implementation and outcomes. Understanding context is especially critical when the same program has varying levels of success across settings. We present a framework for evaluating contextual factors affecting an initiative…

Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) is a relationship-based, collaborative support designed to improve the capacity of early childhood professionals to promote children's mental health. Social and emotional development is the foundation for success in learning and in life. It begins in children's early relationships with…

The Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation-Strong Start (MIHOPE-Strong Start) is the largest random assignment study to date to examine the effectiveness of home visiting services on improving birth outcomes and infant and maternal health care use for expectant mothers. The study includes local home visiting programs that use one of…

This volume describes the experiences of each of the 15 rural and urban Healthy Start initiatives. These projects were set up in areas that had infant mortality rates that were 1.5 to 2.5 times the national average. Project locations include major cities such as Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; and Oakland, California, and rural areas in…

In Bolivia, malnutrition afflicts about 25 percent of children under 3 and 12-24 percent of women. It contributes to high death rates, immune deficiency, learning disabilities, and low work productivity. Malnutrition and its effects are particularly severe among poor, rural, and indigenous populations. Malnutrition is both caused by and causes…

Healthy Families America is a national, voluntary, home visiting program model designed to help expectant and new parents get their children off to a safe and healthy start. Since 1992, it has been successfully replicated in over 440 communities in the U.S. and Canada. This article describes the program's reflective, relationship-based model and…

Increasing numbers of infants and toddlers who were premature, had low birth weight, or experience chronic medical conditions are referred to early intervention services (Bernstein, Heimler, & Sasidharan, 1998). These young children often endure prolonged hospitalizations and are at risk for developmental disabilities by nature of their illnesses,…

This issue paper is based on recommendations of a February, 1991 meeting on promoting child health through Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Part H emphasizes family-centered care; service coordination; comprehensive services; collaboration among service providers and funding sources; outreach to traditionally…

As part of a multi-faceted effort, the National Early Head Start Research and Evaluation project examined the nature and extent of implementation in key program areas and the quality of crucial child development services in 17 research programs funded early in the initiative. Implementation data were collected through three rounds of site visits,…

This practicum report describes a project to improve safety and health conditions for state-licensed family child care homes. Since the family child care providers in the study area do not have to meet more than minimum state health and safety requirements, providers have limited knowledge of and need to improve health and safety standards in…

This manual was designed to be used as part of the pre-service training technical curriculum for Peace Corps health programs. The topics in the manual were selected from a needs assessment of Peace Corps personnel around the world. The manual consists of five parts and an introduction, the Trainer's Guide, which contains an overview of the manual…

In 2003, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) released a "Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Health." In recognition of the critical role states play in the development of early childhood initiatives and of the unique contributions that state Title V programs can make to these initiatives, the Bureau operationalized their…