Act Early Ambassadors: Early Identification Change Agents
April 10, 2015
The Act Early Ambassador project is designed to develop a network of state-level experts to improve early identification practices. It is a collaborative effort on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP). Act Early Ambassadors serve as liaisons to the ""Learn the Signs. Act Early."" Program and work as community champions with programs that serve young children and their parents, such as Head Start, Early Head Start, WIC, home visiting, and others. They also work with health care and child care professionals to improve early identification of developmental delay and collaborate with state agencies and campaign partners to improve policy and programs for early identification. The current cohort of Ambassadors represents 29 states and 1 organization.
California Ambassadors Fran Goldfarb and Debra Sarmento are currently conducting a pilot project with the Pasadena, California, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and LA County 211 programs to implement telephone developmental screenings for parents with young children. The ‘Learn the Signs. Act Early.' Milestone Moments Checklist was modified to include a direct telephone line to the LA County 211 developmental screening program. Pasadena WIC staff are distributing the customized checklist to parent participants of the WIC program while encouraging them to participate in the phone screening. Learn more at https://www.211la.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/211-Developmental-Screening-Project-Fact-Sheet-May-17-2012.pdf.
In Arkansas, Act Early Ambassador Peggy Schaefer Whitby is collaborating with the state planning and implementation grant to distribute LTSAE materials, provide MCHAT training to early intervention, and create the Family Choices tailored brochures detailing the various early intervention services available. Family Choices will be used at early intervention agencies to help families choose intervention services that meet the needs of their family. "