The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #61156

Sherry Gaines, PhD, RN, Judith Wold, and Janie M. Leary, BSW. Childcare Advantage Network, School of Nursing, Georgia State University, MSC 2A0965, 33 Gilmer Street SE, Atlanta, GA 30302-4019, 404-663-9284, sgaines@gsu.edu

In response to the Healthy Child Care America Campaign, many states have focused on preparing a workforce of Child Care Health Consultants (CCHCs), often targeting Public Health Nurses (PHNs) for this role. This presentation describes Georgia’s efforts to build a statewide PHN infrastructure for population-based care focused on child health via child care health support. This approach views child care as a social determinant of child health and behavior; thus, child care is seen as both a public health concern as well as an asset to health promotion. Similar to other states, Georgia’s efforts include preparation of PHNs for the role of CCHCs. However, before PHNs attended CCHC training, PHN Directors and child health leaders from Georgia’s nineteen Health Districts participated in an executive workshop. The purpose of this workshop was to initiate support for PHN leaders and to offer them long-term executive coaching to develop an infrastructure for statewide child care health support. In the workshop, leaders discussed the role of CCHCs and increased their knowledge about positive health outcomes resulting from health involvement in child care. Working together, they began creating complementary child care health support models that match the needs of their communities. Crucial to this effort was an exploration of generating revenue to sustain child care health support. Presenters will discuss child care as a social determinant of child health and behavior as well as its potential for supporting health promotion. Georgia’s approach to building a PHN infrastructure for child care health support will be described.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
• Discuss why child care is a social determinant of child health and behavior.
• Describe an approach for building a Public Health Nurse infrastructure to sustain child care health support.
• Evaluate models of child care health support for use in their communities/states.

Related Web page: www.gsu.edu/~wwwcan

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.