Iowa's 1st Five Healthy Mental Development Initiative builds partnerships between physician practices and public service providers to enhance high quality well-child care. 1st Five promotes the use of standardized developmental surveillance and screening tools that support healthy mental development for young children.

By using a standardized tool for all children, providers are able to identify children at risk for developmental concerns, and link those children and their families with community-based resources to improve access to appropriate follow-up care.

Primary care providers play a key role in supporting optimal healthy mental development in children. In fact, primary health care is the one place nearly all families come into contact with during the child's first years of life. Therefore, primary care providers can play a critical role in providing developmental screenings.

How does 1st Five work?

Step 1: The primary care provider performs standardized surveillance for social/emotional development, family stress and parental depression.

Step 2: When a medical provider discovers a concern, the provider makes a referral to a 1st Five coordinator.

Step 3: Shortly after receiving the referral, the coordinator contacts the family to discuss available resources that will meet the family's needs. Often other issues come to light during these discussions and additional referrals are made. For every one medical provider referral to 1st Five, 2-3 additional referrals are identified when the care coordinator contacts the family. The coordinator works extensively with families to assure follow-up and access to services.

Step 4: The coordinator then provides feedback to the referring provider on the status of the referral.

Overall improved patient care results from this comprehensive, family-centered model.

More information on Iowa's 1st Five Healthy Mental Development Initiative can be found at http://www.idph.state.ia.us/1stfive