We
mentioned before that HMG Central AL participated
in a joint training for pediatricians interested in developmental screening
with Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AL-AAP) and Reach Out and Read in
Birmingham back in September. The training covered information about the need
for more pediatricians to do developmental screening, how to incorporate
developmental screening into a busy practice, how to use Help Me Grow to
support children with challenges on their screenings or who need to be tracked
for changes in their development. There were seven practices trained
which represented four out of five counties in the HMG CA footprint-
Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, Walker and St. Clair. This was a great opportunity
to expose local child health care providers to HMG, developmental
screening and the process for AL-AAP's Quality Improvement project.
The training allowed for all of us to get to know one another, and explain how
it fits with Reach Out and Read. The training
received excellent feedback. Training and outreach to child health care
providers is an important focus of HMG CA and we will be focusing our efforts
to train office staff and more practices. We have already delivered Ages
and Stages Questionnaire and begun to ask about who else would be a leader
practice in developmental screening.
Anyone in Jefferson, Blount, Shelby, St. Clair, or Walker counties can simply dial 2-1-1 and get connected to HMG. It's important that health care providers know what HMG is and how it works so they can connect children and families to the services they need with one simple phone call.
Check out this newsletter that features Help
Me Grow Alabama. Reach Out and
Read-Alabama, a program of the Alabama Chapter AAP is a key partner in our
success in Central Alabama.
Reach Out and Read (ROR) is a national
nonprofit organization that works with pediatricians and, like HMG, is
expanding in pediatric practices and clinics.
“Reach Out and Read started as a simple solution to an obvious problem: waiting
rooms without books. Reading aloud was important for young children, and
pediatricians had a special opportunity to reach their parents. It was a
patently good idea. But if it had been nothing more than that, it would have
withered away. Instead, ROR has grown, nurtured by the passionate and inspired
efforts of many-educators, doctors, volunteers, parents, corporations,
foundations and politicians.” -Robert Needlman, MD, ROR Co-founder
HMG-Central Alabama has connected with Reach Out and Read-Alabama to access pediatricians with a united message about early
childhood development. Our streamlined partnership simplifies what we're both
asking of health care providers- to prepare America’s youngest children to
succeed in school; prescribing books and encouraging families to read together
AND referring those families with children in need of developmental services to
HMG.
Have you ever noticed Reach Out and Read materials in your waiting room?
