The purpose of this program, which is consistent with language contained in the Joint Explanatory Statement to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of FY 2017, is to fund a study focused on improving child health through a statewide system of early childhood developmental screenings and interventions.
This
includes improving population level early childhood developmental health outcomes in a state with significant risk factors for poor child health status such as high rates of poverty among children under age 5, high rates of low birthweight infants, and low rates of early childhood developmental screenings. This goal will be achieved through the implementation of a high quality statewide early childhood developmental health system, an evaluative study on best practices, polices and innovations that can serve as a model for other states with high needs, and the development and utilization of an early childhood cross-systems workforce program.