Activities » Making the Case

Research demonstrates that children’s healthy development is essential to school readiness, academic success, and overall well-being. Services that support young children’s healthy development can reduce the prevalence of developmental and behavioral disorders that have high costs and long-term consequences for health, education, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems.1

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a policy statement, Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders in the Medical Home: An Algorithm for Developmental Surveillance and Screening, which recommends that developmental surveillance be performed at every preventive visit and that a screening tool should be administered at 9-,18-, and 24- or 30-month visits and for those children whose surveillance yields concerns about delayed or disordered development.

This section provides an overview of relevant findings from the science of early childhood development. It includes links to a comprehensive on–line bibliography as well as to a number of reports that draw on current research to develop strategies for state and local programs and policies. It makes the case for involvement of both clinicians and policymakers.

• State-specific Resources produced by ABCD Consortia States for Making the Case
• Peer-reviewed literature for Making the Case
• Technical assistance Resources produced by NASHP and The Commonwealth Fund for Making the Case
• Other Resources for Making the Case