Hospitals in Action >> Case Examples

BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL - Bridgeport, Connecticut 
Child FIRST (Child & Family Interagency Resource, Support, and Training)

What is it? 
Child FIRST early childhood system of care conducts community-based screening, consultation, and home-based intervention for high risk, underserved, young children with emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns in greater Bridgeport, CT. The program works with the most vulnerable children and their families to enhance their growth and development, offering comprehensive, home-based assessment, a family-driven plan of services, targeted parent-child intervention, and care coordination/case management to access services for all members of the family.   

Who is it for? 
Child FIRST began in 2001 with a grant from the Connecticut Health Foundation.  Today more than 1,000 vulnerable children, from birth through five years of age, are screened.  Approximately 500 families receive consultation in early care and pediatrics, and 200 families receive intensive home-based services at no charge.

Why do they do it?
To identify and assess children and families at risk for emotional, developmental, and learning problems as early as possible. By addressing the needs of the highest-risk young children and families, Child FIRST helps prevent serious emotional disturbance, abuse and neglect, and closes the achievement gap!  It prevents conditions that would require much more costly and less effective services latter in life.  

Impact:
Child FIRST’s effectiveness has been scientifically demonstrated (in a randomized trial) to significantly decrease child behavioral problems, reduce parental stress and depression, decrease DCF involvement, improve language development, and increase access to resources for all family members. It has been able to access Medicaid reimbursement for services.

Contact:  Darcy Lowell, M.D.
Executive Director
Telephone: 203-384-3626
E-mail:  pdlowe@bpthosp.org