Action Team 5
Health Resources for Families

OBJECTIVE
Increase awareness of resources available to support families; with a focus on connecting families with children prenatal to 2 years old to screenings and early interventions.

Team co-chairs

Flor Abarca, AIMHiTN

Shana Watkins, Tennessee Justice Center

Current team

  • Chartrice Crowley, Raphah Institute, Early Embrace

  • Jared Elzey, Nurture the Next

  • Nona Joseph, Tennessee Department of Health

  • Zacnite Vargas-Avalos, Nashville Metro Public Health Department

  • Angela Williams, Metro Nashville Public Health Department

Fast facts

  • Focused age group: 0-2

  • Timeline: 18 months

DOMAIN FOCUS

Physical Health, Mental Health and Development on Track Beginning at Birth

  • Healthy Birth Weight

  • Physical Health 

  • Early Intervention

  • Social Emotional Health

  • Oral Health

  • + Supports for Families (Supported and Supportive Families and Communities)

Strategy 1

Convene key early childhood service providers, with a focus on home visiting programs, key early childhood educators (preschool, Head Start, licensed/unlicensed child care providers), perinatal health providers, and trusted messengers, to identify gaps and address common needs across providers and target families that are disconnected or underserved.

SUCCESS METRICS:
Number of convenings

Number and type of stakeholders convened

Buy-in from stakeholders to participate in the Health Hub

Strategy 2

Design, and build an Early Childhood Health Hub to share resources and supports with families and providers. Train service providers and families on Health Hub platform.

SUCCESS METRICS:
Creation of Health Hub

Number and type of resources/supports, users on Health Hub

Positive feedback from families and early childhood service providers on the usability of the online platform