It is often stated that “kids don’t come with instructions,” and we all understand the struggle in raising a healthy child. One of the challenges parents face is trying to connect with services for their kids. Healthy Beginnings supports parents and their kids by offering a truly unique and free community-wide screening program for all young children.
Community Need
It is estimated that nearly 43% of the children in our community do not have health insurance and lack access to consistent health care. Many families without insurance do not have their children seen by any healthcare professional Many of these children are not thriving, starting kindergarten at a disadvantage and often never catching up. Before Healthy Beginnings was established over 13 years ago, Deschutes County had no regularly scheduled community developmental screenings for its youngest children. Healthy Beginnings fills that need by providing comprehensive, free screenings for any child, aged birth to 5. Healthy Beginnings’ goal is to assure parents that their children are developing appropriately or, if needed, to make referrals for in-depth evaluation and treatment. Parenting information, education and community resources are provided as well.
Since 1994 the program has screened nearly 6,000 children and identified 4,000 concerns. Over 600 volunteers have given their time and dedication to this effort. With the assistance of these professional volunteers, families received a quality screening and appropriate referrals and community resources relevant to their needs and concerns at no cost to the family.
For Every Child
Healthy Beginnings is a unique opportunity for families without appropriate access to have their child seen by 12 health and developmental specialists, but the true value of this program is that it is for every child, not just those who are underserved. The only eligibility requirement for service is that the child lives in Deschutes County and has not entered kindergarten. Parents often ask why this program is different from a pediatric visit and why is the service special or necessary. The screening is not diagnostic in nature but instead provides access to the proper assessments and professionals simply not available through a standard well child checkup.
Comprehensive Screening
Healthy Beginnings screens children in all aspects of vision, hearing, speech and language, motor skills, cognitive development, health and safety, dental, behavior and nutrition. Information regarding literacy, car seat safety and emergency services are also available. Parents and children birth through five meet one-on-one with as many as 12 health and developmental professionals and families are welcome to attend regardless of health insurance. "Every child, every year, needs a developmental health screening" explains Deborah Padgett Coehlo, PhD, Program Lead for the Human Development and Family Sciences Program at OSU - Cascades Campus.
Extensive Referral Partners
Through Healthy Beginnings' evaluation results, parents are reassured of their child's age-appropriate development or, when appropriate, referrals are made to seek an in-depth assessment by partner agencies like Early Intervention - Early Childhood Special Education, Central Oregon Regional Services, Deschutes County Health Department and Mental Health, their doctor, dentist or other health-serving agencies. Referrals to educational programs like Head Start, Even Start and Together for Children are also provided when indicated. These referrals are the first and often most important step to ensure the identification of surfacing developmental delays, behavioral or health concerns, allowing for early detection and early treatment, crucial to successful entrance into kindergarten.
Growing Demand
We currently serve 400 children and their families annually. However the growing demand for our services in Deschutes County and the county’s rapid population growth, especially Spanish speaking families greatly exceeds our capacity. In the next five years, our vision is to triple the number of children and families we serve and move our program into other communities in Oregon and beyond.
Healthy Beginnings, a community partner agency of the United Way of Deschutes County, is one of many programs offered through the support of the High Desert Education Service District. Healthy Beginnings originated in Deschutes County and is currently being reviewed by Oregon Health Science University and other communities throughout the state to identify ways to provide this type of service to even more children. This successful program has even been replicated in California. You will find further information about the program, volunteer, and donation opportunities as well as a full listing of upcoming screening dates and locations available at: www.healthybeginnings.info