Supporting the Whole Child: Counties Strengthening Prenatal-to-Three Wellbeing
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The first three years of life are critical for lifelong health and success. Counties play a key role in supporting prenatal-to-three (PN-3) development through the administration of social services and community outreach. A “whole child” approach integrates education, public health and social services to provide wholistic care to young children and families. Counties implement strategies such as single-door referrals, diverse funding sources and public-private partnerships to enhance wellbeing. County examples include Los Angeles County’s MAMA’s Neighborhood program for maternal education, Guilford County’s Ready Ready initiative for integrated service navigation and Allegheny County’s Hello Baby program for economic support. County leaders can maximize outcomes by:
- Integrating health, education and family support
- Investing in maternal education and caregiver support
- Targeting funding to promote financial stability
- Leveraging partnerships
- Using local data for monitoring and evaluation
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Early Childhood Development Initiative
Counties play a crucial role in fostering communities that support positive outcomes for young children. Resources and peer learning opportunities are available to help counties advance programs and policies for children from birth to age three.
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