Read the related press release
New York has a unique and momentous opportunity to improve the health and well-being of its youngest residents through a renewed focus on early childhood development in primary care. This opportunity builds on recent scientific advances in understanding how early experiences impact lifelong health and well-being; tremendous gains in health coverage and access for children; and a new recognition that many children's health issues are developmental in nature. Evidence from decades of program evaluations suggests that early childhood interventions, including those based in health care settings, can improve the lives of at-risk children and can have significant long-term cost-benefit ratios.
The report represents a new UHF effort-exploring multiple approaches to improve child health. It presents an overview of the scientific evidence from a variety of disciplines related to early childhood development; discusses different approaches currently being used to promote healthy development in pediatric settings in New York and beyond; and lays out key considerations and challenges for scaling and sustaining these innovations to have broad impact on the lives of young children in New York.