How Early Head Start Supports Healthy Children: Health Services Advisory Committee
Your child’s earliest experiences mold and shape their developing brain—and physical, mental, and emotional health play a key role in laying the foundation for long-term well-being and success.
Early Head Start, a federally-funded national program designed for pregnant women and children under the age of three years old, provides community-based support, training, and home visits. EHS combines parental involvement, education, and health and social-emotional wellness services for mothers and children.
The EHS Health Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) brings together a group of local healthcare providers to collaborate and discuss ways to better support children’s development.
What is the Health Services Advisory Committee?
Early Head Start’s HSAC is a group of multidisciplinary partners working together toward one common goal: Ensuring that all children in the EHS program are supported in their healthy development.
As an advisory group, the HSAC is composed of local health providers representing a wide spectrum of social service agencies. This includes:
- Pediatricians
- Nurses
- Nurse practitioners
- Dentists
- Nutritionists
- Mental health providers
- Family members
- Representatives from Medicaid and managed care organizations
How the Health Services Advisory Committee Works
The HSAC committee members offer their services and expertise on a volunteer basis and meet bi-annually to discuss program challenges and needs in the medical, oral health, mental health, nutrition, and human services fields.
In Onslow County, ten experts currently serve on the Committee. “Practitioners share the latest health news impacting our community and anything we need to be aware of on the state or regional level,” shares Stefanie Hunter, Early Head Start Director. “Then, we work together to see where children might be potentially impacted.”
By building relationships with different experts, parents and caregivers gain new perspectives. “For example, we have built new relationships with a dentist and a nutritionist on our committee,” says Hunter. “They’ve trained EHS staff on the importance of dental hygiene for infants and toddlers.”
Thanks to the HSAC, parents can also access expert opinions and recommendations on several topics, including:
- Accessing health, dental, and mental health services
- Serving any Early Head Start students with special health care needs
- Setting standards and providing guidance on prenatal care
- Scheduling tuberculin and lead tests
- Scheduling oral health appointments and services
- Using topical fluoride, water fluoridation, and other dental services
- Scheduling immunizations
- Administering medication
- Supporting injury prevention activities for child safety
Because parents are a child’s first teachers, HSAC provides training and workshops for families on relevant topics, such as shopping and budgeting for healthy foods. “We want to build families up as leaders and advocates for their kids,” says Hunter. “When they do leave EHS, they’re successful no matter if they’re going to a doctor or a dental office.”
While it’s important to bring together professionals, having parents at the table is equally important. “We’re the program experts, but parents will be the best and first experts in many ways,” says Hunter.
Get Involved with Early Head Start
Early Head Start is a federally-funded program available to pregnant mothers, infants, and toddlers up to the age of three. Our Child Care Partnership Program is available for children from the age of 6 weeks to 3 years old and takes place at a 5-star child care center from Monday through Friday.
Learn More
If you’re a parent or caregiver in Onslow County interested in Early Head Start programs, click here to learn more about our Early Head Start programs. Any questions? Reach out to us directly at stefanie.hunter@oneplaceonslow.org.