Rural Northern Border Region Network Planning Program - Finger Lakes Community Action will lead the Wayne County Rural Early Childhood Health and Development Network Planning Project, a one-year initiative to strengthen early childhood health, developmental screening, referral, family navigation, follow-up, shared data, and sustainability pathways in eligible rural communities in Wayne County, New York. The project will serve young children ages 12 to 60 months and their caregivers, building from FLCA’s existing Play and Grow family engagement events and Get Ready to Grow screening activities. The project will formalize a rural early childhood network through the Wayne Partnership Early Childhood Network, with participation from Wayne County, Sodus Central School District/Wayne Community Schools, and Wayne ARC. During the planning year, partners will clarify roles, map developmental, health, disability, behavioral health, nutrition, oral health, and family support referral pathways, review caregiver communication and accessibility, strengthen follow-up routines, and use COMET-supported data to identify gaps and improve coordination. The project aligns with HRSA Rural Northern Border Region Network Planning aims by improving coordination across health, education, disability, and community service partners; identifying workflow efficiencies; expanding access to appropriate referrals and family navigation; and strengthening the rural early childhood system of care. By the end of the grant period, FLCA and partners will produce a formalized network structure, referral pathway maps, shared follow-up procedures, core data measures, an evaluation summary, and a sustainability plan to guide continued coordination after federal funding ends.
