Assuring Better Child Health & Development

Last month, partners from across the country gathered in Alamosa for an important conversation focused on strengthening Early Childhood Developmental Health Systems (ECHDS).

ABCD was honored to participate alongside partners from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment(CDPHE), Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc., ZERO TO THREE, and Dr. Leisha Anderson as part of this federal site visit.

Together we explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration, support families and advance responsive early childhood systems that promote healthy development for children and families across Colorado.

Thank you to all who joined us and continue to partner in this important work.

Transitions can be hard for children and for the people who care for them.

As routines shift into summer, you might notice more meltdowns, clinginess, or big emotions. This is common, especially for children with developmental delays or disabilities.

HealthySteps offers guidance to help caregivers and families understand what to expect and how to support children through changes.

What helps:
💛 Predictability – Simple, consistent routines help children feel safe
💚 Patience – Big feelings are your child’s way of communicating
💙 Connection – Your calm, supportive presence helps your child co-regulate and settle

These moments are part of development and with support, children can build trust, resilience, and strong relationships.

You’re not alone. Providers and community supports are here to help you and your family every step of the way.

Talk with your child’s pediatric provider, connect with your HealthySteps Specialist, or reach out to Early Intervention (EI) for extra support: https://dcfs.my.salesforce-sites.com/eicolorado?lang=en

💡 Did you know? Families can self-refer to Early Intervention, no provider referral needed.

With school finishing up and summer around the corner, now is a great time to check in on your child’s development.

Using the CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. resources, pay attention to how your child is growing and whether they are reaching milestones for their age.

Children reach milestones in how they:
💚 Play
💛 Learn
🩷 Speak
🩵 Act
🧡 & Move

You know your child best! If your child is not meeting one or more milestones for their age, has lost skills they once had, or if you have other concerns about their development, trust your instincts and act early.

Talk with your child's doctor, share your concerns, and ask about developmental screening.

Did you know? Families can also self-refer to Early Intervention (EI) for support and evaluation services.

The CDC outlines developmental milestones by age on their website: https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/index.html

It’s Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week.

Investing in infant and young children’s mental health early sets children up for success down the road. If untreated, mental health concerns can have lasting effects on a child’s development, whether it’s physical, cognitive, sensory, emotional, social, and/or motor skills.

It can be difficult to know if challenging behavior in a child is just part of growing up or if it is a problem to be discussed with a health professional.

Some behaviors in children ages 0-3 to consider talking with a professional about are:
• Consistent difficulty sleeping or eating
• Constant crying and fussiness with little ability to be consoled
• Extreme upset when left with another adult
• Unable to adapt to new situations
• Easily startled or alarmed by routine events
• Unable to establish relationships with other
children or adults
• Excessive hitting, biting, and pushing of other children
• Shows little to no emotion

HealthySteps provides tailored support for early development, including mental health concerns for children ages 0-3. ABCD supports 33 practices across Colorado to help families meet the developmental needs of their children.

Visit our website to find a HealthySteps provider near you!
https://www.coloradoabcd.org/our-work/healthysteps/about-healthysteps-colorado

Early childhood caregivers:

Have you ever noticed a developmental concern in a child and aren’t sure how to engage with the family? Families play a critical role in developmental screening activities, but it can be scary for parents when a child care provider or teacher notices a developmental worry, delay, or concern.

This training is designed for any type of early childhood caregivers: FFNs, licensed child care providers (home- or center-based), teachers aides, directors, coaches, licensing specialists, and other professionals. We will explore practical strategies that you can use when engaging with families, from empathy, building trust, and improving family experience in developmental screening activities.

🗓️Tuesday, June 16
⏰6-7:30pm MT
📍Zoom

Register today!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/improving-family-experience-in-developmental-screening-activities-tickets-1984064785182

We loved connecting with families, friends, and providers this weekend at the CO4Kids Resource Fair. Thank you to everyone who stopped by!

It was such a joy to meet HealthySteps families, share the CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. materials, talk about our upcoming trainings, hand out books, and connect over one of our favorite topics - child development and tracking milestones.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to be in community with you and support families every step of the way. 💛

Stay connected and follow us for upcoming trainings, join our newsletter, and learn how to get involved as a Family Leader or in our Family Experience work. Visit our website to learn more: https://www.coloradoabcd.org/

Have you been part of a home visiting program in Colorado, as a home visitor, parent educator, or family participant?

The Colorado Home Visiting Coalition is inviting people from across the state to express interest in the 2026 Home Visiting Ambassador Program (HVAP). This program brings together home visitors, parent educators, and family representatives to help strengthen home visiting in Colorado.

As an ambassador, you would have the opportunity to:
- share your perspective and ideas
- help shape how people learn about home visiting
- receive training on advocacy
- help guide resources for home visitors and programs
- receive a stipend for each virtual session, for up to 6 virtual meetings (60-90 minutes).

Whether you are currently involved in home visiting or participated in the past, we encourage you to consider this opportunity.

Please see the attached flyer and click on this link to submit the interest form, which is available in English, Spanish and Arabic. Please express interest by April 30 for early consideration.

If you have questions, please contact [email protected].

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Hola:
¿Ha formado parte de un programa de visitas domiciliarias en Colorado, ya sea como visitador domiciliario, educador de padres o participante familiar?

La Coalición de Visitas Domiciliarias de Colorado (Colorado Home Visiting Coalition) invita a personas de todo el estado a expresar su interés en el Programa de Embajadores de Visitas Domiciliarias (HVAP) de 2026. Este programa reúne a visitadores domiciliarios, educadores de padres y representantes de familias para ayudar a fortalecer las visitas domiciliarias en Colorado.

Como embajador, usted tendría la oportunidad de:
- compartir su perspectiva e ideas;
- ayudar a definir la manera en que las personas obtienen información sobre las visitas domiciliarias;
- recibir capacitación en defensa de derechos (abogacía);
- ayudar a orientar los recursos destinados a los visitadores domiciliarios y a los programas;
- recibir un estipendio por cada sesión virtual, hasta un máximo de 6 reuniones virtuales (de 60 a 90 minutos de duración).

Ya sea que actualmente participe en actividades de visitas domiciliarias o que lo haya hecho en el pasado, le animamos a considerar esta oportunidad.

Por favor, consulte el folleto adjunto y haga clic en este enlace para enviar el formulario de interés, el cual está disponible en inglés, español y árabe. Le solicitamos que exprese su interés antes del 30 de abril para ser considerado con prioridad.

Si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor comuníquese a la dirección [email protected].

--
مرحباً،

هل سبق لك المشاركة في برنامج الزيارات المنزلية في كولورادو - سواءً كزائر منزلي، أو مُثقّف آباء، أو كفرد من العائلة؟

يدعوكم تحالف الزيارات المنزلية في كولورادو من جميع أنحاء الولاية للتعبير عن اهتمامكم ببرنامج سفراء الزيارات المنزلية لعام ٢٠٢٦. يجمع هذا البرنامج بين الزائرين المنزليين، ومُثقّفي الآباء، وممثلي العائلات لتعزيز الزيارات المنزلية في كولورادو.

بصفتك سفيراً، ستتاح لك الفرصة لـ:
مشاركة وجهة نظرك وأفكارك
المساهمة في تطوير كيفية تعريف الناس بالزيارات المنزلية
تلقّي تدريب على المناصرة
المساهمة في توجيه الموارد المتاحة للزائرين المنزليين والبرامج
الحصول على مكافأة مالية عن كل جلسة افتراضية، بحد أقصى ٦ جلسات افتراضية (٦٠-٩٠ دقيقة).
سواءً كنتَ مشاركاً حالياً في الزيارات المنزلية أو شاركتَ فيها سابقاً، نشجعك على النظر في هذه الفرصة.

يرجى الاطلاع على النشرة المرفقة والنقر على هذا الرابط لتقديم طلب الاهتمام، المتوفر باللغات الإنجليزية والإسبانية والعربية. يُرجى تقديم طلبك قبل ٣٠ أبريل ليتم النظر فيه مبكراً.

إذا كانت لديكم أي استفسارات، يرجى التواصل عبر البريد الإلكتروني [email protected].

Happy National Home Visiting Week & Home Visiting Week in Colorado!

As we close out this week of recognition, we celebrate the incredible home visiting workforce and the vital role they play in supporting families across our state. Home visitors build trusted relationships with caregivers, strengthen parent-child connections, and help ensure children get the healthiest start possible.

At ABCD, we’re proud to advance this work through HealthySteps, partnering with pediatric providers, early intervention programs, and community-based organizations to strengthen early childhood systems statewide.

In 2025, HealthySteps sites in Colorado served 46,772 children, connecting families to developmental screenings, early support, and coordinated care when it matters most.

We’re also honored that Governor Jared Polis proclaimed April 20–24, 2026 as Home Visiting Week in Colorado, recognizing the powerful impact of home visiting on child and family well-being.

Thank you to the home visitors, providers, and partners who show up for families every day, your work is changing lives.

We had a great time at the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference - RMECC last week, sharing ABCD’s Family Experience Network and the power of centering family voice in early childhood systems.

It was inspiring to connect with partners, meet new colleagues, and engage in thoughtful conversations about how we move from “family engagement” to true partnership.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, we’re excited to keep the momentum going!

Join us at the Denver Zoo this Saturday for a fun, family-friendly day!

ABCD will be tabling at the CO4Kids Resource Fair, a day designed to strengthen our community. Stop by, say hello, and learn about what we offer and how you can get involved!

🗓️Saturday, April 25
⏰10AM-3PM
📍Denver Zoo
🫶Bring the family!

Tickets to the Resource Fair are provided on a first come, first serve basis, and include FREE admission to the zoo and the ability to meet and connect with local organizations and family resources.

We hope to see you there!

Early childhood caregivers:

Have you ever been worried about a child because they aren’t reaching child developmental milestones? If you want to learn more about developmental screening activities, this training is for you!

This training is designed for any type of early childhood caregivers: FFNs, licensed child care providers, teachers aides, directors, coaches, licensing specialists, and other professionals. We will cover practical activities that you can use right away to support developmental screening in your program!

🗓️ Tuesday, June 9
⏰ 6-8pm MT
📍 Zoom

Register today!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/implementing-early-childhood-developmental-screening-activities-tickets-1984064060013