With more children and young adults experiencing mental health emergencies over the last 10 years, state and federal leaders made millions of dollars available to school districts for developing school-based mental health services and hiring and training school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Yet schools still face considerable…

This article describes the adaptation of a parent-focused evidence-based childhood obesity intervention program for implementation by county-based Extension educators in coordination with school district personnel in rural Pennsylvania. The Lifestyle Positive Parenting Program was designed and evaluated in Australia in clinical settings. Several…

Parents, family members, and other adults can play critical roles in helping their multilingual preschool-age children confront the stresses and trauma of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. This brief highlights various language practices of multilingual children that deserve to be respected and nurtured through daily conversations and…

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that immunizations are essential to primary prevention of disease from infancy through adulthood and that childhood vaccinations are an effective way of preventing serious childhood illnesses (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2017). NASN supports…

In this article, the authors describe a 3-year initiative in New York state, led by the New York Center for Child Development (NYCCD), through which more than 2,500 mental health clinicians were trained in the DC:0-5. Funding was provided through the creative use of the Preschool Development, Birth to Five federally funded Block Grant, and…

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAP) coordinate physical activity opportunities for school-age children through physical education, programs offered before/after school and during the school day, and those facilitated through staff involvement and community engagement. An active school is considered to implement quality physical…

The first six to eight years of a child's life, known as early childhood, have been globally acknowledged to be the most critical years for life-long development of children, when the pace of development is extremely rapid. Early experiences at home, in communities, and at other care settings play a crucial role in brain architecture development…

The integration of behavioral health services in primary care has become increasingly popular in pediatric settings in recent years. While there are various models of integrated behavioral health (IBH), the aim is constant: to increase access to behavioral and mental health care through collaboration between behavioral health providers and…

Addressing the unmet physical and mental health needs of school-aged children in the U.S. has moved to the forefront of the emerging policy conversation about effective, school-based strategies to support students. Although some new and unique challenges regarding the physical and mental health of school-aged children can be directly attributed to…

Childhood is an important time for healthy development and learning, and for establishing the foundation blocks of future wellbeing, but it is also a time of vulnerability. While a positive start in life helps children to reach their full potential, a poor start increases the chances of adverse outcomes for the individual, society and possibly…

DC:0-5™: Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (ZERO TO THREE, 2016) emphasizes the centrality of relationships for young children's development and psychopathology. The authors share the story of a young child and his mother to illustrate the use of DC:0-5, with an emphasis on how…

Structural, cultural, and interpersonal racism impose unique and substantial stressors on the daily lives of families raising young children of color. Understanding how these stressors affect child health and development provides a compelling framework for new ideas about how communities, policies, programs, and funding streams might confront and…

Lead is a naturally occurring element that is extremely toxic to human beings. When children inadvertently ingest lead, their bodies confuse it with calcium, iron, and other nutritional essential metals, causing toxicity. School psychologists more than ever are in perfect positions, with the proper training, to possibly identify children who are…

Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) grants help states and communities improve early childhood systems to support child development, equitable access to quality services and supports, and family well-being. Truly interdisciplinary, ECCS promotes cross-sector systems change initiatives that focus on integrating health care, mental health,…

The child nutrition programs support meals and snacks served to children in schools, child care, summer programs, and other institutional settings in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. This report starts with an overview of child nutrition programs' funding structure and then provides detail on each program,…