Linking public health and primary pediatric care: MCH Working Group of APHA PHN Section and Healthy Steps for Young Children

There are known gaps between the recommended preventive health care services for children 0-3 years of age and the actual care they receive. The recommended preventive services are articulated by Bright Futures, a national health promotion initiative dedicated to the principle that every child deserves to be healthy and that optimal health involves a trusting relationship between the health professional, the child, the family, and the community as partners in health practice.5 To fill the service gap and actualize the Bright Futures guidelines the American Public Health Association's (APHA) Public Health Nursing Section is collaborating with Healthy Steps for Young Children to develop a public health approach to pediatric well-child care. The collaboration will be described along with the development of model to improve the link between public health and pediatric primary care to enhance the systems of care for young children.