Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Coordinators
The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) launched the State Maternal and Child Health Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative (ECCS). The purpose of ECCS is to support states and communities in their efforts to build and integrate early childhood service systems that address the critical components of access to comprehensive health services and medical homes; social-emotional development and mental health of young children; early care and education; parenting education and family support.

Child Care and Development Fund
The Child Care Bureau (CCB) administers the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) (also known as the Child Care and Development Block Grant). A minimum of 4 percent of CCDF funds must be used to improve the quality of child care and offer additional services to parents, such as resource and referral counseling regarding the selection of appropriate child care providers to meet their child’s needs. To improve health and safety available in child care, many states have provided training, grants and loans to providers, improved monitoring, compensation projects, and other innovative programs.

Head Start State Collaboration Offices
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. Collaboration between Head Start programs and community providers of pediatric health care strengthens both systems of care, and enriches the lives of children, families, staff, and communities.

Click here to read more about Head Start in the September 08 newsletter

Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) Director/Coordinator
The Healthy Child Care Consultant Network Support Center (NSC) is a partner organization funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau to strengthen statewide networks of child care health consultants (CCHCs). Each state has its own system for supporting CCHCs, and this site offers state profiles (including the contact information for each state CCHC coordinator), a national registry of CCHCs, and many online resources (including an online version of a booklet that provides a comprehensive summary of the literature on child care health consultation).

Child Care Resource and Referral Agency
The National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) provides technical consultation and resources to member child care resource and referral agencies. Child care resource and referral agencies are an excellent source of child care information. You can search this site to find your local resource and referral agency.