Sustaining HealthySteps: States’ Approaches to Financing an Evidence-based Model for Healthy Early Childhood Development
A person's health and well-being throughout their life are profoundly impacted by their early years, and the family context in which a child develops is a critical influencing factor. Pediatric primary care serves as the cornerstone of a family's interaction with the health care system, which is the only nearly universally accessed system during these formative years. It offers a crucial opportunity to not only assess the child's health but also to identify and address the various needs of the family as a whole.
HealthySteps, a program of ZERO TO THREE, is an evidence-based dyadic care model that integrates a child development expert into the primary care team to promote healthy relationships, foster positive parenting, strengthen early social and emotional development, and ensure access to services that address both child and family needs.
Given HealthySteps’ success and impact, a growing number of states are establishing public financing mechanisms to sustain it.
This white paper examines the state funding initiatives for HealthySteps and HealthySteps-aligned services that are relevant for Pennsylvania and provides an analysis of these sustainability pathways.
It will inform the development of PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) strategy and recommendations regarding sustaining and scaling HealthySteps in Pennsylvania. The white paper may also be salient to other states looking to sustain HealthySteps.