A structured management approach to implementation of health promotion interventions in Head Start

Prev Chronic Dis. 2013 Sep 12:10:E155. doi: 10.5888/pcd10.130015.

Abstract

Improving the health and health literacy of low-income families is a national public health priority in the United States. The federal Head Start program provides a national infrastructure for implementation of health promotion interventions for young children and their families. The Health Care Institute (HCI) at the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles, developed a structured approach to health promotion training for Head Start grantees using business management principles. This article describes the HCI approach and provides examples of implemented programs and selected outcomes, including knowledge and behavior changes among Head Start staff and families. This prevention-focused training platform has reached 60,000 Head Start families in the United States since its inception in 2001. HCI has demonstrated consistent outcomes in diverse settings and cultures, suggesting both scalability and sustainability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Child Health Services / organization & administration
  • Child Health Services / standards
  • Child, Preschool
  • Early Intervention, Educational / organization & administration*
  • Humans
  • Poverty
  • Preventive Health Services
  • School Health Services / organization & administration*
  • Teaching
  • United States