Children's Health Programs

100% Campaign - for health insurance for all CA children.
http://www.100percentcampaign.org
Fact sheets on higher educational performance rates for children with health insurance.
http://www.100percentcampaign.org/resources/factsheets/fs-061130.htm

Medi-Cal - http://www.medi-cal.ca.gov/
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for low-income, uninsured children. Medi-Cal is California's public health insurance for low-income children and families.

Healthy Families - http://www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov/English/downloadHndbk.html
Low cost insurance for children and teens. It provides health, dental and vision coverage to children who do not have insurance and do not qualify for free Medi-Cal.

To Apply for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families call (800) 880-5305 or (888) 747-1222.

Local Child Health Insurance Initiatives
http://ihpsca.org/localcovsol/cov_initiatives.html
For those not eligible for Medi-cal or Healthy Families, i.e. because of income or immigration status.

Child Health and Disability Prevention Program http://www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/chdp/
The CHDP program is a preventive health program serving California's children and youth. CHDP makes early health care available to children and youth with health problems as well as to those who seem well.
CHDP Directory http://www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/chdp/directory.htm

Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care http://www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/hcpcfc/
HCPCFC is a public health nursing program located in county child welfare service agencies and probation departments to provide public health nurse expertise to meet the medical, dental, mental and developmental needs of children and youth in foster care.
CA Foster Care Public Health Nurse Directory
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/hcpcfc/pdf/hcpcfcdircetory.pdf

Access for Infants and Mothers
http://www.aim.ca.gov/english/welcome.html AIM phone:(800) 433-2611
Health insurance for mothers less than 30 weeks pregnant, and their children under age 2.

California Childrens Services- http://www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/ccs/
CCS is a statewide program that treats children with certain physical limitations and chronic health conditions or diseases. CCS can authorize and pay for specific medical services and equipment provided by CCS-approved specialists.
Local/County CCS Office Directory http://www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/ccs/directory.htm

Child Care and Development Programs

The National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC)
http://nccic.org/
A national clearinghouse and technical assistance center that links parents, providers, policy-makers, researchers, and the public to early care and education information.

Child Care Law Center
http://www.childcarelaw.org/index.shtml
A legal resource for the local, state, and national child care communities, as well as a legal resource for local legal services programs on child care issues in California. Our primary clients are families and children. CCLC offers legal training and information to parents, not for profit child care centers, family child care providers, policy makers, community, and government agencies.

Cal Childcare Resource and Referral Network
http://www.rrnetwork.org/welcome/index.html
A resource for parents and providers, including childcare tips, childcare payment information, policy statements and advocacy.
R&R agency office directory by county
http://www.rrnetwork.org/resources-and-links/counties.html

First 5 - California Children and Families Commission
http://www.ccfc.ca.gov/prg.htm
Information on the First 5 Programs under the California Children and Families Act of 1998, legislation designed to provide, on a community-by-community basis, all children prenatal to five years of age with a comprehensive, integrated system of early childhood development services: health care, quality child care, parent education and effective intervention programs for families at risk.

Cal. Dept. of Education
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/op/
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/op/cdprograms.asp
Overview of state Child Care and Development programs, operated under both state and federal funds.
Child Care and Development Office phone: (916) 322-6233

National Office of Head Start
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/
Head Start is a national program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families. It provides grants to local public and private not for profit and for-profit agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop early reading and math skills.

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc
This website, offered by the Administration for Children & Families, Head Start Office, includes links to information on child health and development for parents, the community and professionals, with specific resources in curriculum and child development that the Head Start community has found most useful to prepare children for school success.
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/ecdh/eecd/Early_Childhood_Intro_Textrev1.html

Cal. Head Start State Collaboration Office
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/chssco.asp
Operated under a federal grant to create a visible presence for Head Start at the state level and to assist in the development of multi-agency and public-private partnerships among Head Start and other interested stakeholders, and to coordinate state and federal funds.

California Head Start Association
http://www.caheadstart.org/index.html
Support for State Head Start programs, including conference information and community resources to encourage unified state programs.

Early Start National Resource Center
http://www.ehsnrc.org/
Early Head Start (EHS) is a federally funded community-based program for low-income families with infants and toddlers and pregnant women, to promote healthy prenatal outcomes, enhance the development of very young children, and promote healthy family functioning.

Early Start - CA
http://www.dds.ca.gov/EarlyStart/ESHome.cfm
Information on eligibility for the Early Start program, for infants and toddlers, birth to 36 months, who have developmental delays or at risk of such delays.
http://www.dds.ca.gov/EarlyStart/ESStatutes.cfm
Key state and federal statutes regarding the interagency systems that provide early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.

2006 Central Directory of Early Intervention Resources, CA.
http://www.dds.ca.gov/EarlyStart/PDF/central_directory2006.pdf
Includes agency and county listings for Early Start Programs as well as specific information about the program and related services.

Ounce of Prevention Fund
http://www.ounceofprevention.org/index.php
Resources from The Ounce of Prevention Fund, which implements and informs a network of early childhood programs, educates state and federal policymakers about the best ways to help at-risk children and families succeed, and provides extensive training and consultation to professionals working with at-risk families (in Illinois).

Title 1 Preschool programs
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/sw/t1/titleIpreschool.asp
For preschool-age children at risk of failing to meet the State's academic achievement standards. Children who participate in Head Start, Even Start, Early Reading First, or Title I preschool at any time during the two preceding years, homeless children, and children in institutions for neglected/delinquent children are eligible for Title I programs.

Special Needs Identification and Services

Disability Rights Statutes
http://www.dds.ca.gov/statutes/Statutes_Main.cfm
A searchable site including specific information for the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act and the California Early Intervention Services Act. This site includes a Consumer’s guide and links to the California Code of Regulations, legislative updates, and other related areas of practice.

Protection and Advocacy
http://www.pai-ca.org/index.htm
Federally mandated and funded, national disability rights advocacy organization with offices serving individuals throughout the United States.
CA Office Directory - http://www.pai-ca.org/connect/contact.htm
Special Education Rights and Responsibilities (SERR) Manual
(in English, Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese)
http://www.pai-ca.org/PUBS/504001SpecEdIndex.htm
See Chapter 11- Preschool Education specifics - http://www.pai-ca.org/PUBS/505101.pdf
See Chapter 12, Early Intervention specifics - http://www.pai-ca.org/PUBS/505201.pdf

Regional Centers
http://www.dds.ca.gov/rc/RCinfo.cfm
Regional centers help coordinate the services and supports that are needed because of a developmental disability.
Directory of California’s 21 Regional Centers
http://www.dds.ca.gov/rc/rclist.cfm

California Children’s Services
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/ccs/
CCS is a statewide program that evaluates and treats children with certain physical limitations and chronic health conditions or diseases. CCS can authorize and pay for specific medical services and equipment provided by CCS-approved specialists.
Local/County CCS Office Directory
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/ccs/directory.htm

Center for the Improvement of Child Caring
http://www.ciccparenting.org/cicc_What_Is.aspx
Resource on tools and methods of diagnosis for identifying children with special needs.

Types of Childhood Disabilities and Other Special Needs
http://www.ciccparenting.org/ChildhoodDisabilities.aspx
Explanations, research, and resources for many disabilities/special needs, including: ADHD, Autism, Mental Retardation, Emotional Disturbance, Learning disabilities, speech and language impairments . Prepared by the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (English and Spanish).

Developmental Delays http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/WELCOME/conditions/developmentaldelays.html
Explanation of identifying factors and resources, including a list of early speech and language milestones.

Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/fasask.htm#character
Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s FAS and FASD pages include definitions, common characteristics, prevention, and links to factsheets.

National Organization on FAS
http://www.nofas.org/educator/teaching.aspx
Common classroom concerns and strategies for teachers (careproviders); Information for recognizing, treating and educating children with FAS.

Understanding and Addressing the Effects of Maltreatment on Early Brain Development

National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
http://www.nectac.org/partc/partc.asp
Minibibliography on the Impact of Abuse, Neglect and Foster Care Placement on Infants, Toddlers and Young Children: Selected Resources.
http://www.nectac.org/~pdfs/pubs/abuseneglect.pdf

Recognizing Trauma and Helping Traumatized Children Learn
http://www.massadvocates.org/helping_traumatized_children_learn
Downloadable version of 117 page research and policy publication, documenting the effects of trauma on educational progress. Includes a description of the Massachusetts Trauma Sensitive Schools Grant Program.

Childwelfare Information Gateway
http://www.childwelfare.gov/can/impact/
http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/focus/earlybrain/
Information on how child maltreatment during infancy and early childhood has been shown to negatively affect child development, including brain and cognitive development, attachment, and academic achievement. These include enduring physical, intellectual, and psychological repercussions into adolescence and adulthood.

Zero to Three – Infant Mental Health
http://www.zerotothree.org/
Provides information on trainings, resources for children age birth to three, with a focus on infant mental health- diagnosing and prevention.

Childhood Trauma Academy
http://www.childtrauma.org/ctamaterials/states_traits.asp
Adapted version of Bruce D. Perry's article on the neurodevelopmental implications of adaptive mental and physical responses to trauma, including physiological hyperarousal and dissociation. Found in Infant Mental Health J, 16 (4): 271-291, 1995. Also in Working with Traumatized Youth in Child Welfare, edited by Nancy Boyd Webb, 2006.

Funding Early Childhood Care and Education

How States can Plan and Fund Programs for Babies and Toddlers, pdf.
http://www.ounceofprevention.org/downloads/publications/Foundations.pdf

CDE Finance and Grants
http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/
Grants, contracts and apportionments from the CDE, including links to outside funding sources and tools for writing effective proposals.

DHHS- Administrative Office of Children and Families
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/grant/index.htm
Grant information and funding opportunities, including funding for the operation of Head Start and Early Head Start programs by either public or private, for profit or not for profit organizations, or public school systems.

Article: Education Reform
http://www.ewa.org/files/docs/prek%20finance%20brief.pdf
On funding early childhood education.

National Conference of State Legislatures
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/cyf/ccfinancing.htm
On Financing Early Childhood Education and Child Care.

Coordinating State and Federal Funding
www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/FP%20Blending%20Funds%201_24.pdf
A new strategy brief, Blending and Braiding Funds to Support Early Care and Education Initiatives, presents financing strategies that state and local policymakers can use to coordinate, align and integrate funds.

Additional Resources, Guidelines and Model Programs

CDE- Family Involvement and Partnerships
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/parentresources.asp
Childcare and education rights information for parents, with CDE policy information on parent involvement, California First 5, and English/Spanish links to specific education rights resources for parents and families.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/fp/index.asp
Early childhood education resources for parents and guardians of children with disabilities (focus on age 3-21).

US DHHS -Administration for Children and Families
Comprehensive Family Assessment Guidelines for Child Welfare
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/family_assessment/index.htm

Healthy Kids, Healthy Care
http://www.healthykids.us/
Information about child physical/emotional health and safety, and evaluation tools for parents of children in childcare programs, by the National Resource Center for Health and Child Care and Early Education.

National Education Association
http://www.nea.org/earlychildhood/index.html
Research and Resources about the impact of early education, model programs and development.

West Ed.
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
A not for profit research, development, and service agency that provides training, consulting, and technical assistance in education and human development, including a specific focus area in Early Childhood and Early Intervention.

Preschool California
http://www.preschoolcalifornia.org/preschool_efforts/local_efforts.html
Information on model programs in CA, including LA UP and First 5 San Mateo; Includes Preschool for All: Step by Step Planning Guide and Toolkit, pdf.

Example County First 5 Program collaboration, grants and initiatives
First 5 Monterey County
http://first5monterey.org/home/first5m/programs.htm
First 5 Los Angeles
http://www.first5la.org/
First 5 San Mateo
http://www.first5sanmateo.org/smc/department/home/0,,4313274_4522401,00.html