National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality Home (NICHQ)
The National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) is an action-oriented organization dedicated solely to improving the quality of health care provided to children. Founded in 1999, NICHQ’s mission is to eliminate the gap between what is and what can be in health care for all children. A national organization with its home office in Cambridge, NICHQ also works with staff and faculty across the country.
The TPS is a state professional nonprofit organization of 2,800 Texas pediatricians and 600 medical students. TPS believes that the most important resource of the State of Texas is its children, and pledges its efforts to promote their health and welfare. The goal of the Society is that all children in the State attain their full potential for physical, emotional, and social health.
Department of State Health Services Immunization Branch
Texas Immunization Registry
The 2-1-1 Texas website gives you the ability to search for Child Care and Education Services, and have referrals sent by e-mail to programs you select. If at any time you need further assistance or cannot find what you need, please use your phone and dial 2-1-1. Knowledgeable staff that lives in your area will speak with you and answer your questions.
Alliance for Early Childhood Finance
The Alliance for Early Childhood Finance is dedicated to seeking more rational financing of early care and education in America through inquiry, analysis and communication among early care and education policy activists. The Alliance was originally created through a partnership between Anne Mitchell of Early Childhood Policy Research and Louise Stoney of Stoney Associates.
Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA)
The CIERA is a national center for research on early reading.
Collaborative for Children’s mission is to build a strong educational foundation for young children to succeed in school and life. We do this by serving those who have the greatest impact on the lives of young children – families, early childhood educators, health care providers and policy makers. We have aligned our programs into three departments: (1) Family Engagement, (2) Provider Engagement and (3) Community Engagement, each one working to build awareness, to educate and to promote action by its target group.
Department of Family and Protective Services – Child Care Licensing
The Child Care Licensing’s mission is to protect children in out-of-home care by developing and enforcing standards and regulations that promote the health, safety, and well-being of children, while substantially reducing the risk of harm in those operations.
Even Start is an education program for the Nation’s low-income families that is designed to improve the academic achievement of parents and their young children, especially in the area of reading. Even Start provides educational services for the family, parents and children alike, so that adults and their children will be able to take advantage of and benefit from the tremendous opportunities available to them in this Nation. For adults and children with limited English proficiency, Even Start helps them make progress toward acquisition of the English language and attainment of a high level of literacy. Qualifying families must be of low income, have at least one parent with an educational need and at least one child aged birth through age 7.
The Finance Project is a specialized non-profit research, consulting, technical assistance and training firm for public and private sector leaders nationwide. We help leaders make smart investment decisions, develop sound financing strategies, and build solid partnerships that benefit children, families and communities.
Getting Ready: School Readiness Indicators Initiative
This initiative works with 17 states to develop a comprehensive set of school readiness indicators to inform public policy for young children and their families. This initiative is sponsored by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
Head Start/ Early Head Start – Texas
Head Start/ Early Head Start (HS/ EHS) are national programs that promote school readiness for children zero to five by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through by providing educational, health, nutrition, social and other services to enrolled children and families. HS/ EHS programs in Texas are further defined by their participation in the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM).
Healthy Child Care America (a campaign that was implemented in 1995-2005), introduced the idea that families, child care providers, and health professionals in partnership can promote the healthy development of young children in child care and increase access to preventive health services, safe physical environments, and a medical home for all children. Linking health professionals, child care providers, and families makes good sense – for maximizing resources, for developing comprehensive and coordinated services, and, most important, for nurturing children.
Healthy Child Care Texas brings together health care professionals, early care and education professionals, child care providers, and families to improve the health and safety of children in child care. In addition to providing resources for home- and center-based child care providers, the initiative also trains qualified individuals to be Child Care Health Consultants and Medical Consultants. These consultant work throughout the state of Texas providing training and consultation to child care providers in order to promote healthy, safe child care practices.
High/Scope Educational Research Foundation
This foundation is an independent nonprofit research, development, training, and public advocacy organization with headquarters in Ypsilanti, Michigan. High/Scope’s mission is to improve the life chances of children and youth by promoting high-quality educational programs.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
NAEYC is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8. NAEYC is committed to becoming an increasingly high performing and inclusive organization.
National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC)
The National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC), a service of the Child Care Bureau, Office of Family Assistance, is a national clearinghouse and technical assistance center that links parents, providers, policy-makers, researchers, and the public to early care and education information.
National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCDEL)
Research at the National Center for Early Development & Learning (NCEDL), focuses on enhancing the cognitive, social and emotional development of children, from birth through age eight. They have the following goals: 1) Determine the state of the nation and conduct research on critical issues in early childhood practices, 2) Develop partnerships with diverse constituencies, 3) Synthesize knowledge and recommend future directions, and 4) Translate research into practice and disseminate information to diverse audiences.
National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Resource Center (NRC)
This center supports the Head Start Bureau (HSB) in: (1) identifying emerging trends, priority items, and other project issues; (2) gathering information and coordinating activities to further promote.
National Institute on Early Education Research (NIEER)
The National Institute for Early Education Research supports early childhood education initiatives by providing objective, nonpartisan information based on research. The goal of NIEER is to produce and communicate the knowledge base required to ensure that every American child can receive a good education at ages three and four. The Institute seeks to provide policy makers with timely information addressing the practical problems they face. The Institute offers independent research-based advice and technical assistance to four primary groups: policy makers, journalists, researchers, and educators.
Smart Start is a public-private initiative that provides early education funding to all of the state’s 100 counties in North Carolina. Smart Start has garnered much national recognition and is considered a model for comprehensive early childhood education initiatives. In 2001, the NCPC established a National Technical Assistance Center to assist other states with the development of an early education initiative.
State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care
The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 required governors to designate or establish a State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care to improve the quality, availability, and coordination of services for children from birth to school entry. This council is designed to bring together top decision makers for collective discussion about how to better coordinate services so that young children have the supports in place that they need. The Council provides an excellent opportunity to leverage federal investment, it can be an outstanding forum in which to build support for early learning, and should be viewed as a means to an end.
State Center for Early Childhood Development (Children’s Learning Institute – CLI)
The University of Texas Health Science Center’s Children’s Learning Institute, under the direction of Developmental Psychologist Professor Dr. Susan Landry, combines data and studies from the fields of psychology, neuro-development, education and child development to provide proven learning solutions derived from, and supported by, documented research. The goal of CLI is to be the pre-eminent source for proven clinical and educational programs covering early childhood through late teens. The institute houses the Texas Early Education Model.
Texas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (TACCRRA)
TACCRRA’s mission is to build solutions for children that link parents, child care professionals, employers, and communities together. TACCRRA, a private non-profit organization that coordinates a statewide network of child care resource and referral agencies, is dedicated to enhancing the quality and availability of child care in Texas. TACCRRA is the lead agency for the Positive Behavioral Support Project (PBS), which offers training sessions and interventions to support a positive, proactive approach to children with challenging behaviors.
Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (Texas AEYC)
The Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (Texas AEYC) is a state affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) which is the nation’s largest and most influential organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of programs for children from birth through third grade.
Texans Care For Children works to improve the lives of Texas children by building commitment and action for improved public policy and programs. The state’s first multi-issue child advocacy non-profit brings together groups from all over Texas in a united fight for children’s interests.
Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition (TECEC)
Comprised of over 230 member organizations, including foundations, businesses, providers, universities, advocates, and community groups, TECEC is a unique statewide collaborative dedicated to building a high-quality early education system that prepares children in Texas for success in their education and life.
Texas Education Agency Pre-K Program
This site will provide you with information about both the Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs. Click here for the Texas Education Agency Pre-K Guidelines.
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) manages subsidized childcare for the State of Texas. A support service for parents who work, attend school, or participate in job training, childcare is administered regionally through 28 Local Workforce Development Boards. Those eligible for child care assistance include children under the age of 13 whose parents are receiving or transitioning off public assistance, receiving or needing protective services, or whose families are low-income.
Advocacy, Inc. believes all people have worth and dignity. We advocate for, protect and advance the legal, human and services rights of Texans, adults and children with disabilities.
Mental Health America of Texas
Information on children and family mental health issues and education, Parents as Teachers (PAT) early childhood education project, and programs of Mental Health America of Texas, a nonprofit education and advocacy organization. The web site also includes information for families struggling with a parental mental illness and suicide and other mental health resources.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSW)
The mission of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network is to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States.
National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCDEL)
Research at the National Center for Early Development & Learning (NCEDL), focuses on enhancing the cognitive, social and emotional development of children, from birth through age eight. They have the following goals: 1) Determine the state of the nation and conduct research on critical issues in early childhood practices, 2) Develop partnerships with diverse constituencies, 3) Synthesize knowledge and recommend future directions, and 4) Translate research into practice and disseminate information to diverse audiences.
Texas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (TACCRRA)
TACCRRA’s mission is to build solutions for children that link parents, child care professionals, employers, and communities together. TACCRRA, a private non-profit organization that coordinates a statewide network of child care resource and referral agencies, is dedicated to enhancing the quality and availability of child care in Texas. TACCRRA is the lead agency for the Positive Behavioral Support Project (PBS), which offers training sessions and interventions to support a positive, proactive approach to children with challenging behaviors.
Texas Association for Infant Mental Health (TAIMH)
TAIMH is dedicated to improving the quality of nurturing relationships for infants, young children, and their families. Activities include professional development, networking, and a quarterly newsletter. TAIMH offers endorsement for child and family providers through the TAIMH Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Based Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health. Chapters include the Hill Country, West Texas and North Texas Associations for Infant Mental Health.
Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services – Early Childhood Intervention
The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Division for Early Childhood Intervention is a statewide program for families with children, birth to three, with disabilities and developmental delays. ECI’s mission is to assure that families with young children with developmental delays have the resources and support they need to reach their goals. Services are provided by a variety of local agencies and organizations across Texas.
Texas Suicide Prevention Council
Information about suicide prevention, suicide prevention training and best practices in Texas, including national resources, sponsored by the Texas Suicide Prevention Council and Mental Health America of Texas.
Blueprints for Violence Prevention
A national violence prevention initiative at the University of Colorado at Boulder to identify programs effective in reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse.
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC)
The website is designed to: (1) Serve as an online connection for child welfare professionals, staff of public and private organizations, academic institutions, and others who are committed to serving children and families; (2) Provide up-to-date information on evidence-based child welfare practices; (3) Facilitate the utilization of evidence-based practices as a method of achieving improved outcomes of safety, permanency and well-being for children and families involved in the California public child welfare system.
Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies
The Center provides training, technical assistance, evaluation, research, and other services to support prevention, treatment, and recovery in the alcohol and other drugs field. As part of this mission they created a best-practices database.
The University of Texas Health Science Center’s Children’s Learning Institute, under the direction of Developmental Psychologist and Michael Matthew Knight Professor Dr. Susan H. Landry, combines data and studies from the fields of psychology, neuro-development, education and child development to provide proven learning solutions derived from, and supported by, documented research.
Child Trends: What Works: Lifecourse Interventions to Nurture Kids Successfully
Child Trends’ presents extensive knowledge about programs found to “work” to enhance children’s development, in a user-friendly format for policy makers, program designers, and funders.
Child Trends: What Works: A Guide to Effective Programs
Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to improving the lives of children by conducting and disseminating research to improve the decisions, programs, and policies that affect children and their families. In advancing its mission, Child Trends collects and analyzes data; conducts, synthesizes, and disseminates research; designs and evaluates programs; and develops and tests promising approaches to research in the field.
The PNC Grow Up Great initiative, a program financed by PNC Financial, Inc., asked RAND to prepare a thorough, objective review and synthesis of current research that addresses the potential for various forms of early childhood intervention to improve outcomes for participating children and their families. This evidence base sheds light on the types of programs that have been demonstrated to be effective, the features associated with effective programs, and the potential for returns to society that exceed the resources invested in program delivery.
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC)
This center supports the implementation of the early childhood provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Our mission is to strengthen service systems to ensure that children with disabilities (birth through five) and their families receive and benefit from high quality, culturally appropriate, and family-centered supports and services.
Even Start is an education program for the Nation’s low-income families that is designed to improve the academic achievement of parents and their young children, especially in the area of reading. Even Start provides educational services for the family, parents and children alike, so that adults and their children will be able to take advantage of and benefit from the tremendous opportunities available to them in this Nation. For adults and children with limited English proficiency, Even Start helps them make progress toward acquisition of the English language and attainment of a high level of literacy. Qualifying families must be of low income, have at least one parent with an educational need and at least one child aged birth through age 7.
Evidence Based Program Database
The Evidence-Based Program Database is developed by Ohio State University Center for Learning Excellence a compilation of quality government, academic, and non-profit lists of evidence-based programs that appear on the World Wide Web and/or in print form. This web-based system was created to assist in efforts to select and implement evidence-based programs that positively affect youth behaviors.
Florida State University – Office of IP Development and Commercialization
The Office of Intellectual Property Development and Commercialization (OIPDC) assists faculty, staff and students move their innovative research results and creative work into public use by licensing to outside organizations to develop and market products based on FSU research.
Florida State University – Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy
The FSU Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy focuses on Maternal and Child Health and early Childhood issues, and is a unit under arm of the University’s Institute for Science and Public Affairs.
A compilation of profiles written by HFRP of research studies and evaluations of OST programs and initiatives. It provides accessible information about research and evaluation work on both large and small OST programs to support the development of high quality evaluations and programs in the out-of-school time field.
Healthy Family Initiatives (HFI)
Now celebrating our twenty-fifth year, Healthy Family Initiatives (HFI), in Houston, Texas, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose focus and purpose is to serve as a living laboratory for prevention — identifying, piloting and eventually assisting to institutionalize community capacity to deliver evidence-based prevention practices for strengthening at-risk families and the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect – supporting families before this harmful act occurs in the first place.
A nationwide effort, initiated by President George W. Bush and led by First Lady Laura Bush, to benefit children and teenagers by encouraging action in three key areas: family, school, and community. The Community Guide to Helping America;s Youth helps communities build partnerships, assess their needs and resources, and select from program designs that could be replicated in their community. It walks community groups through the steps necessary for building strong supports for youth. The Helping America’s Youth (HAY) Program Tool includes 180 evidence-based programs that prevent and reduce delinquency or other youthful (up to age 20) problem behaviors (e.g., drug and alcohol use).
KidsGrowth’s Web site tailored specifically toward the concerns and interests of parents. The site was developed and created by well-respected medical leaders in the field of pediatrics and adolescent medicine. Members of the Medical Advisory Board oversee all KidsGrowth content, thereby guaranteeing its medical accuracy.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
This Model Program Guide (MPG) is designed to assist practitioners and communities in implementing evidence-based prevention and intervention programs that can make a difference in the lives of children. The MPG database of evidence-based programs covers the entire continuum of youth services from prevention through sanctions to reentry. The MPG can be used to assist juvenile justice practitioners, administrators, and researchers to enhance accountability, ensure public safety, and reduce recidivism. The MPG is an easy-to-use tool that offers the first and only database of scientifically proven programs across the spectrum of youth services.
The Ounce of Prevention Fund is dedicated to ensuring that, beginning at birth, children in low-income families can overcome the challenges of poverty and enter kindergarten fully prepared to achieve. We believe it far more cost-effective, and caring, to help at risk children and their parents build healthy foundations than to treat problems later in life.
Parents as Teachers is an international early childhood parent education and family support organization serving families throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten, usually age 5. The service model is designed to enhance child development and school achievement through parent education accessible to all families. Mission: To provide the information, support and encouragement parents need to help their children develop optimally during the crucial early years of life. Services: Personal Visits, Group Meetings, Screening (health, vision, hearing, developmental), and Resource Referrals.
Pathways Mapping Initiative (PMI)
PMI was established in January 2000 as part of the Project on Effective Interventions at Harvard University and developed in partnership with the Technical Assistance Resource Center of The Annie E. Casey Foundation. Its objective is to build on the wealth of findings about what works by going beyond both anecdotes and traditional evaluation literature. This website holds a wealth of findings about what it takes to improve the lives of children and families living in America’s tough neighborhoods. Community coalitions, providers of services and supports, funders, and policymakers will find a broad collection of information about what works in social programs and policies to achieve desired results, including increased rates of children ready for school and higher numbers of economically successful families.
The Finance Project’s Information Resource Center gives you easy access to a wealth of information on policies, programs, and financing strategies for initiatives striving to improve the lives of children, families and communities.
The Promising Practices Network
This web site highlights programs and practices that credible research indicates are effective in improving outcomes for children, youth, and families. The RAND Corporation, the nation’s original “think tank”, operates this project.
Resources to Promote Social and and Emotional Health and School Readiness in Young Children and Families – A Community Guide
SAMHSA Model Programs
National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) is a service of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). NREPP is a searchable database of interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders. SAMHSA has developed this resource to help people, agencies, and organizations implement programs and practices in their communities.
The Council for Excellence in Government’s Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy web site summarizes the results of well-designed randomized controlled trials in social policy that have particularly important policy implications — because they show, for example, that an intervention has a major effect, or that a widely-used intervention has little or no effect.
Strengthening America’s Families
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) provide the results of the 1999 search for “best practice” family strengthening programs. Provides two page summaries of family-focused programs, which have been proven to be effective.
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
The mission of The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is to protect children, the elderly, and people with disabilities from abuse, neglect, and exploitation by involving clients, families and communities.
Texas Nurse-Family Partnership
The Texas Nurse-Family Partnership pair Bachelor’s prepared, registered nurses with low-income, first-time mothers to improve prenatal care and provide one-on-one child development education and counseling.In the program, women are enrolled early in the second trimester of their pregnancy, and a nurse begins visiting them. The visits, which usually take place in the family’s home, continue throughout the woman’s pregnancy and until her child is 2 years old. The nurses provide support, education and counseling on health, parenting, developmental issues and life skills.
Information about the Parents as Teachers early childhood parenting education and support program in Texas. Parents as Teachers is an award-winning, researched-based program providing personal visits, group meetings, screenings and information and referral. There are over 100 programs in Texas in schools, child care and faith-based centers, and community organizations. Training and program support is provided in Texas through Mental Health America of Texas, a nonprofit organization.
Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Prevention Resources: Rating Criteria for Evidence-Based Programs.
This model program summary matrix is an expansion of the SAMHSA/CSAP and Western CAPT model program summaries identified on their web sites with additional details on the costs of training and implementation of a variety of community based model programs.
Zero To Three’s mission is to support the healthy development and well-being of infants, toddlers and their families. We are a national nonprofit multidisciplinary organization that advances our mission by informing, educating and supporting adults who influence the lives of infants and toddlers.
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
CLASP’s child care and early education work focuses on promoting policies that support both child development and the needs of low-income working parents and on expanding the availability of resources for child care and early education initiatives. CLASP examines the impact of welfare reform on child care needs; studies the relationships between child care subsidy systems, the Head Start program, pre-kindergarten efforts, and other early education initiatives; and explores how these systems can be responsive to the developmental needs of all children.
The Children’s Defense Fund’s Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.
Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to improving the lives of children by conducting research and providing science-based information to improve the decisions, programs, and policies that affect children.
Foundation for Child Development
The Foundation for Child Development is a national, private philanthropy dedicated to the principle that all families should have the social and material resources to raise their children to be healthy, educated and productive members of their communities.
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
This institute is one of the nation’s oldest multidisciplinary institutes for the study of young children and their families. Research and education activities focus on child development and health, especially factors that may put children at risk for developmental problems.
MATHEMATICA Policy Research, Inc.
MATHEMATICA evaluates programs designed to improve the well-being of young children and their families, particularly those at greatest risk in our society. The projects reviewed here illustrate the diversity of themes we address, the range of clients we serve, and the breadth of our early childhood and family research.
The National Governors Association (NGA)
NGA is the collective voice of the nation’s governors and one of District of Columbia’s most respected public policy organizations. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform, and the environment.
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (NSCDC)
The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (NSCDC) is a multi-disciplinary collaboration comprising leading scholars in neuroscience, early childhood development, pediatrics, and economics.
The Promising Practices Network (PPN)
The PPN Web site highlights programs and practices that credible research indicates are effective in improving outcomes for children, youth, and families. The information offered is organized around three major areas: Proven and Promising Programs, Research in Brief, and Strengthening Service Delivery.
Project THRIVE is a public policy analysis and education initiative at the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) at Columbia University. Project THRIVE has been identified by the Maternal Child Health Bureau to provide to promote healthy child development and to provide policy support to the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) initiatives funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
State Early Childhood Policy and Technical Assistance Network (SECPTAN)
SECPTAN knows the challenges that governors, legislators, agency heads, and their staff face in developing public policies: Balancing competing demands for finite resources. Reflecting societal values amid diverse political pressures. Developing sound policies without accessible, credible sources of information, particularly on early childhood issues.
State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems
The purpose of the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Initiative is to support states to plan, develop and implement collaborations and partnerships to support families and communities in their development of children who are healthy and ready to learn at school entry. In 2003, 48 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Republic of Palau were awarded grants to develop Comprehensive Early Childhood Systems-building plans. Grantees are now in the process of completing plans and beginning implementation activities.
Zero To Three’s mission is to support the healthy development and well-being of infants, toddlers and their families. We are a national nonprofit multidisciplinary organization that advances our mission by informing, educating and supporting adults who influence the lives of infants and toddlers.
