Child Care Health Consultants

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Child Care Health Consultants (CCHCs) are health and early childhood professionals trained to work directly with child care providers in child care centers and family child care homes by providing consulting services, and community resource information and referral. In Nevada, CCHCs are trained and organized through Healthy Child Care Nevada.

Goal of Healthy Child Care Nevada

To develop and implement Healthy Child Care Nevada (HCCN) as an active Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) Network in the State of Nevada that is recognized as the resource on health and safety standards in child care, based on “Caring for Our Children (CFOC),” endorsed by the AAP, APHA, MCHB and HRSA. (top)

History and Development

Healthy Child Care America (a campaign that was implemented in 1995-2005 by the American Academy of Pediatrics), introduced the idea that families, child care providers, and health professionals in partnership can promote the healthy development of young children in child care and increase access to preventive health services, safe physical environments, and a medical home for all children. Linking health professionals, child care providers, and families makes good sense - for maximizing resources, for developing comprehensive and coordinated services, and, most important, for nurturing children.

In 2007, the Nevada State Health Division convened a group of partners to create Healthy Child Care Nevada with the goal of reestablishing Child Care Health Consultant training in Nevada. Several CCHCs trained under a previous federal grant and located in northern Nevada are currently members of HCCN. The focus over the last two years has been to develop, implement and evaluate a pilot CCHC program in Southern Nevada. Six community health nurses from Southern Nevada Health District trained as CCHCs are now consulting with early childhood centers.

In 2009, the Healthy Child Care Nevada initiative moved into the Head Start State Collaboration and Early Childhood Systems Office within the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Director’s Office. HCCN objectives have been integrated into the Nevada Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Program Strategic Plan. The ECCS in Nevada coordinates efforts to obtain sustainable resources and policy development that support the education, safety, health and well–being of all children and their families. ECCS and HCCN partners are working together to improve child care standards and incorporate Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC) into child care systems in Nevada. (top)

Why Are Child Care Health Consultants Needed?

  • More children than ever are cared for; starting at an early age in out-of-home settings
  • Early care and education providers deal with such issues as asthma, obesity, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), dental carries, food related illnesses and infectious disease. For example:
    • Asthma is a leading cause of hospitalization for children under the age of 15 years
    • Increasing numbers of children are obese and acquiring type 2 diabetes
    • Infants are developing caries in their baby teeth which interferes with eating, speech development, and the health of their permanent teeth
    • A high proportion of food related illnesses are caused by mishandling of food or improper sanitation
    • Early care and education providers may unknowingly contribute to, or cause, illnesses due to inadequate policies and procedures.
  • A Child Care Health Consultant can help providers handle these and many other health and safety issues. (top)

Who Can Become a CCHC?

CCHCs include professionals such as nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physicians, health educators, dental hygienists, nutritionists, sanitarians, and medical social workers. (top)

Why become a Child Care Health Consultant?

Being a Child Care Health Consultant can be a very rewarding experience. As a CCHC you will play a unique role in assisting early care and education providers in offering quality care in a safe and healthy environment. Your assistance will impact our most precious resource, our children, for generations to come. You will become part of an emerging statewide team of child care health consultants and be on the cutting edge of a national initiative to recognize this new type of early care and education trainer/consultant.

Building Better Child Care through Health Consultation is an excellent 17 minute video produced by the National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants and is available for download at: http://nti.unc.edu/video. (top)

What does a Child Care Health Consultant Do?

A Child Care Health Consultant confers with - and provides technical assistance and training to - early care and education staff. The assistance can be given over the phone, during onsite visits, and at conferences/workshops. A Child Care Health Consultant might:

  • Provide onsite assessments of the health and safety practices of the early care and education staff
  • Provide onsite assessments of indoor and outdoor environments such as playgrounds
  • Assist early care and education providers with inclusion of children with special needs
  • Assist in the development of policies, procedures and maintenance of health records and immunization review
  • Assist in linking children, families and early care and education staff with community health resources
  • Advocate and promote developmental appropriate environments and practices
  • Advocate and educate families and early care and education providers about the importance of a “medical home”
  • Assist in developing partnerships between families, early care and education and health care providers (top)

What Types of Topics are CCHCs Trained to Address?

The National Training Institute for CCHCs uses the Caring for Our Children, National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs as the basis for CCHC. This is also the basis for CCHC training in Nevada. The topics include:

  • Quality in Child Care

  • Care for Ill Children

  • Nutrition

  • Child Abuse and Neglect

  • Mental Health and Behavioral Issues

  • Children with Special Needs

  • Infant/Toddler and ECE Environment Rating Scales
  • Playground Safety

  • Oral Health

  • Injury Prevention

  • Infectious Diseases

  • Cultural Diversity

  • Health Policy Development in Child Care

  • Resources and Referral (top)

How Can I Become A Child Care Health Consultant?

CCHC trainings are offered periodically by a HCCN training team whose members have completed the National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants (NTI). The next CCHC training will be scheduled for 2010. Please contact Mary Rosenthal, MPH, HCCN Training Coordinator, Area Health Education Center of Southern Nevada at 702-318-8452 x248 or mrosenthal@snahec.org to learn more about CCHC training and to be placed on the list for training. (top)

Contact Information for Current Child Care Health Consultants

For more information on how to participate in Healthy Child Care Nevada or to become a Child Care Health Consultant, please contact the HCCN Chair, Mary Rosenthal, MPH, at 702-318-8452 x248 or mrosenthal@snahec.org