Learn The Signs.
Act Early: Community Integration Project
Kathleen Daly, MSW Candidate, BA, Riley Child Development Center Indiana LEND
Indiana University School of Medicine and Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, Indiana
Goal
To collaborate with key state-level stakeholders
to incorporate the Center for Disease Control
and Preventions (CDC) Learn The Signs. Act
Early.(LTSAE) prevention materials, promoting
awareness of developmental milestones and
the benefit of early intervention into library
systems
Objective
Create partnerships with Indiana libraries
and their consumers
Gain understanding about relevant
infrastructure and various funding sources
that impact library programming
Initiate meaningful conversations to
enhance awareness about healthy child
development
Implement CDC materials into the State of
Indianas Library system
Methods
Contacted 8 librarians at the community and
state level who create, plan, and implement
childrens programs throughout Indiana
Engaged in unstructured interviews regarding
the following topics:
Library funding sources
Populations served through current library
programming
Current barriers, challenges, and gaps in
programming or ability to reach target populations
Collaborated to develop a strategic plan for
implementing the LTSAE materials into library
programs
Stephan Viehweg, ACSW, LCSW, IMH-E(IV), RCDC Indiana LEND
About the Act Early Initiative Project Outcomes
In October 2004, the CDC unveiled its national Learn the Signs. Act Early. campaign, which focuses on
State of Indiana Library Blogpost highlighting
raising awareness about healthy early childhood developmental milestones and underscores the importance
LTSAE and direct link to CDC website
of both tracking a childs development and engaging in conversations with healthcare providers to discuss
Invitations to present webinars and workshops at
possible intervention strategies if there are concerns.
local and statewide library related meetings and
conferences
Through the use of complimentary, user-friendly tools and materials, parents, caregivers, and professionals
Interest in printing Amazing Me and other LTSAE
have the ability to create a collaborative partnership to ensure that children who demonstrate developmental
materials personalized to local and statewide
delays can be identified early and begin accessing services and supports they might need.
communities
LTSAE materials to be listed in OCLC online
database which facilitates easy online
cataloguing for libraries statewide
Wider dissemination of LTSAE materials
statewide to rural and urban communities
Conclusion
While state infrastructure and other library funding
sources present unique challenges to incorporating
the CDCs LTSAE, creative partnership and
collaboration have made it possible to begin the
process of raising awareness and affecting change
in local communities around the topic of early
identification and intervention.
Areas that should be considered in the future
include:
Considerations of future funding streams to
personalize print materials
Further attention to addressing at-risk or hard to
reach populations
Development of quantifiable outcome measures
and data collection methods to decipher new
areas for program growth and improvement
References
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015).
Learn the signs. Act early. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/actearly
(CDC, 2015)