Child Care Health Consultants
By Anonymous
Thank you to Angela Crowley, PHD, APRN, BC, PNP for her assistance with this article.
Q: What is a Child Care Health Consultant?
The Connecticut Department of Public Health defines a child care health consultant as a professional who is licensed as a RN, APRN, physician or PA. Most states require health consultation to child care programs, and the USDHHS Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) strongly supports child care health consultation as a means of improving program health and safety and promoting access to health services for children and families. In Connecticut, as in other states, nurses and advanced practice nurses provide the vast majority of consultation. Connecticut has the most rigorous regulations, requiring that all programs have a child care health consultant and weekly on-site visits for programs that enroll children under three years of age.
Q: Why are Child Care Health Consultants important?
Child care health consultants can promote the health and development of young children in child care settings. Several researchers have reported that health consultation improved 1) health knowledge and compliance of child care staff (1-3); 2) health screenings and early detection of health problems (2); 3) children’s immunization status and access to health care; and 4) parent confidence and knowledge in caring for their children (2). In addition, health consultation reduced the rate of inappropriate health exclusion of children (2) and the rates of infectious diseases and accidental injuries (3). Furthermore, child care health consultation can promote the inclusion and management of children with special health care needs (5, 6).
In addition to preparation as a health professional, those consultants who are specifically prepared for this role are better able to promote positive outcomes for children and families. In a study of health consultants who participated in the Healthy Child Care Connecticut Health Consultation 30 hour workshop in 2002, health consultants significantly increased their knowledge in most modules, broadened their scope of practice and demonstrated significant increase in the utilization Caring for our children. National health and safety performance standards: Guidelines for out- of-home child care program (7). In addition, most health and safety practices improved in those centers where the consultants provided services post training (8).
Q: Why is Connecticut Nurses’ Association interested in Child Care Health consultants?
During 2005, through a contract from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Connecticut Nurses’ Association (CNA) organized and delivered the Healthy Child Care Connecticut/New England training in collaboration with Connecticut Charts-a-Course, Advanced Behavioral Health, the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut, and Healthy Child Care New England. This training is based on curriculum developed through the National Training Institute for Child Care Health ” Consultants (NTICCHC) which is supported through a grant from USDHHS MCHB. Participants across New England reported that they either directly consulted to or administered programs that affect one-half million children. In addition, CNA provided networking for child care consultants, built the foundation for a health consultant database, and provided information and referral for numerous calls.
CNA believes that the continuation of efforts to provide child care consultant training and continuing education, networking opportunities and a robust infrastructure for child care health consultants will improve the health and safety of children in child care settings across the state.
Q: Are you a child care health consultant or are you interested in becoming a consultant?
If you are a child health consultant or you would like to consider becoming a consultant, we’d like to hear from you. This role is especially well suited for those nurses or advanced practice nurses with expertise in pediatrics, family, or community health. However, all nurses can be well prepared with the NTICCHC training. Some nurses have developed full-time consultation services; however, most nurses serve as consultants to one or a few programs while maintaining other positions.
Contact info@ctnurses.org with your contact information, and we’ll provide information about the role, trainings, and networking opportunities.
References
1) Alkon, A, Sokal-Gutierrez, K & M WoIfF. (2002). Child care health consultation improves health knowledge and compliance. Pediatric Nursing, 28(1):61-65.
2) Gaines, S. K., Rice, M. S. & Carmon, M. C. (1993). A model of health care delivery in a child day-care setting. Public Health Nursing, 10 (3): 166-169.
3) Kotch, J. B. (2003, August). Child care health consultant outcome evaluation. Paper presented at the Healthy Child Care America Annual Grantee Meeting, Washington, DC.
4) Ulione, M. S. (1997). Health promotion and injury prevention in a child development center. Journal of Pediatric Nursing: Nursing Care of Children and Families, 12 (3):148-154.
5) Crowley, A. A. (2004). Improving child and family health through child care health consultation. Beatrice Benfield-Yale School of Nursing Clinical Research Initiatives Fund. Unpublished report.
6) Lindeke, L.L., Krajicek, M. & Patterson, D. L. (2001). PNP roles and interventions with children with special needs and their families. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 15, 138-43.
7) American Public Health Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, & National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care. (2002). Caring for our children. National health and safety performance standards: Guidelines for out-of-home child care program. USDHHS, MCHB: Washington, DC.
8) Crowley, A. A. &b Kulikowich, J. (2004). Impact of training on child care health consultant knowledge and practice. APHA 132nd meeting, Washington, DC, November 10, 2004.
Copyright Connecticut Nurses’ Association Mar-May 2006