Child Health And Development Institute Of Connecticut Inc

TO ENSURE HEALTHY OUTCOMES FOR ALL CHILDREN IN CONNECTICUT BY ADVANCING EFFECTIVE POLICIES, STRONGER SYSTEMS, AND INNOVATIVE PRACTICES.

MENTAL HEALTH CARE: IN ADDITION TO THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH, CHILDREN'S POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT DEPENDS ON THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. CHDI FOCUSES ON PREVENTION, SCREENING, EARLY INTERVENTION AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO QUALITY CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS. WE COLLABORATE WITH STATE AGENCIES, COMMUNITY-BASED PROVIDERS, SCHOOLS, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, AND FAMILY ADVOCATES TO IDENTIFY, IMPLEMENT, AND EVALUATE EFFECTIVE MODELS OF TREATMENT, AND HAVE DEVELOPED AN APPROACH TO ENSURE THESE RESEARCH-BASED MODELS WORK IN REAL-WORLD SETTINGS, RESULTING IN BETTER OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. OUR WORK HAS RESULTED IN MORE THAN 14,000 CHILDREN RECEIVING AN EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT FOR TRAUMA AND OTHER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS SINCE 2008. WE HAVE HELPED CONNECTICUT BUILD TRAUMA-INFORMED SYSTEMS OF CARE, DEVELOP AND ADVANCE A MODEL OF COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH, AND ADVANCED STATEWIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POLICY AND SYSTEM CHANGES SO CHILDREN CAN THRIVE. CHDI CO-DEVELOPED AND COORDINATES THE CONNECTICUT SCHOOL-BASED DIVERSION INITIATIVE (SBDI), WHICH HELPS SCHOOLS IDENTIFY AND CONNECT STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONCERNS TO COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES, DECREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUSPENSION, EXPULSION OR ARREST, AND PROMOTING BETTER ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AND OVERALL WELL-BEING.

HEALTH CARE: THE HEALTH CARE AREA CEASED OPERATIONS MARCH 3, 2021. PRIOR TO THAT DATE, CHDI ADVANCED AND INFORMED EFFECTIVE, SUSTAINABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH POLICY, SYSTEMS AND PRACTICE TO PROMOTE CHILDREN'S OPTIMAL HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT. WE IDENTIFIED, TESTED, AND IMPLEMENTED NEW AND IMPROVED WAYS TO DELIVER CHILD HEALTH SERVICES, SO SYSTEMS WERE MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE. CHDI INITIATED AND SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL INNOVATIONS INCLUDING CARE COORDINATION COLLABORATIVES, MID-LEVEL DEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENT, AND PRIMARY CARE AND SUBSPECIALTY CO-MANAGEMENT. OUR EDUCATING PRACTICES PROGRAM PROVIDED TRAINING TO PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS ON 19 TOPICS, SUCH AS MANAGING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, ORAL HEALTH SERVICES, TRAUMA, DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AND PROMOTING SOCIO-EMOTIONAL HEALTH IN YOUNG CHILDREN. AS A RESULT OF OUR WORK, MORE CHILDREN RECEIVED DEVELOPMENTAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS IN PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE AND WERE CONNECTED TO EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES, CARE COORDINATION SERVICES, AND OTHER SUPPORTS. WE ALSO PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILD HEALTH SITES TO IMPROVE THE CARE THEY PROVIDE BY USING DATA DRIVEN, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT METHODOLOGIES, AND CONNECTED THEM TO OTHER SECTORS OF CARE THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT, SUCH AS CHILDCARE PROGRAMS AND SCHOOLS. WE ALSO REPRESENTED CHILD HEALTH ISSUES IN THE STATE'S LARGER REFORM EFFORTS. OUR GOAL WAS TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES BENEFIT FROM HEALTH CARE REFORMS AND STATE INITIATIVES.