Transforming Pediatrics for Early Childhood - The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Bureau of Family Health, proposes HealthySteps Kansas, a statewide initiative to transform pediatric primary care by integrating evidence-based early childhood development services into pediatric practices serving children from birth through age five. As Kansas' Title V Maternal and Child Health agency, KDHE is uniquely positioned to lead statewide systems change through established partnerships with healthcare providers, Medicaid, early childhood agencies, family leaders, and community organizations. Despite ongoing investments in maternal and child health, Kansas continues to experience significant disparities in developmental screening, care coordination, referral completion, and access to behavioral health and early intervention services, particularly among Medicaid-enrolled children, uninsured families, and those living in rural and frontier communities. HealthySteps Kansas will address these challenges by embedding HealthySteps Specialists within pediatric primary care practices, strengthening the pediatric workforce, improving coordination across health and early childhood systems, and advancing sustainable financing strategies to support long-term implementation. The project has three integrated objectives. First, KDHE will partner with approximately 15–20 pediatric practices, including rural clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and Tribal-serving providers, to integrate HealthySteps Specialists who will provide developmental promotion, developmental and family needs screening, caregiver support, care coordination, and referral management. Second, Kansas will establish a statewide HealthySteps Learning Network to provide training, technical assistance, and peer learning opportunities for pediatric providers and multidisciplinary care teams, building on existing statewide infrastructure, including KSKidsMAP and other pediatric education initiatives. Third, KDHE will collaborate with KanCare Medicaid, managed care organizations, healthcare systems, the Office of Early Childhood, and other partners to strengthen referral systems, develop sustainable financing strategies, and advance policies that support integrated early childhood development services within pediatric primary care. By September 29, 2031, HealthySteps Kansas will establish a sustainable statewide pediatric early childhood development infrastructure that improves developmental screening, strengthens family-centered care, enhances referral completion, expands access to developmental and behavioral health services, and promotes child flourishing. The project will prioritize children and families experiencing the greatest barriers to care, including those enrolled in Medicaid, living in rural and frontier communities, and populations experiencing health and social inequities. HealthySteps Kansas builds upon Kansas' existing investments in Title V Maternal and Child Health, Help Me Grow Kansas, KSKidsMAP, the Kansas Special Health Care Needs Program, the Family Advisory Council, and statewide early childhood partnerships. Through coordinated implementation, continuous quality improvement, meaningful family engagement, and sustainable financing strategies, the project will create lasting systems change that strengthens pediatric primary care and improves the health and developmental outcomes of young children and families across Kansas.
