Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems SEED Project: Scaling Effective Early Childhood Systems Develo - The purpose of the proposed Massachusetts SEED project is to help Massachusetts develop and implement a statewide model for increasing access to care and services for families who are expecting a baby, or have children up to age 5. The project addresses the demonstrated need to reduce infant mortality, address other maternal and child health challenges and provide a more effective entry point into the early childhood system of care, regardless of whether families live in urban, suburban or rural settings. Through the proposed project, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health will: (1) Develop and pilot an Early Childhood Hub to serve as a Coordinated Intake and Referral System (CIRS) in Hampden County, our community of focus. (2) Implement Welcome Family, an evidence-based home visiting program which offers a universal nurse home visit and follow-up phone call to Massachusetts mothers with newborns, regardless of age, income, number of children or risk. (3) Through coordination with the state’s Title V program, integrate what we are learning from the SEED project into statewide activities, including the statewide expansion of Welcome Family and the potential development of Early Childhood Hubs across the state. (4) By aligning project activities with Title V, MIECHV and other state and federal funding sources, sustain and expand results beyond the funding period. The community of focus is Hampden County, located in central Massachusetts. The county has an estimated 2025 population of slightly over 464,000 residents, spread across urban, suburban and rural communities and comprising 23 cities and towns. Hampden County has the highest Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of any of the state’s 14 counties, more than 60% higher than the statewide IMR. In 2022 the county saw 4,726 lives births and there are 24,313 children ages 0-4. Because Hampden County has no county government, the proposed project cannot rely on a single local government entity but will build and enhance existing partnerships comprising local public health, hospital systems, community health centers, early childhood providers, other family- and child-serving agencies and other organizations. At the statewide level, we will integrate the project with Title V, MIECHV, other programs of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Massachusetts Department of Early Care and Education and other statewide stakeholders. We will also ensure that parent and family leadership is engaged in planning and implementing all of the project’s core activities, both in our community of focus and statewide.
