Measures to Support Early Childhood Health

The act implements and describes the operation of the pediatric primary care practice program (primary care program) in the department of early childhood (department). The purpose of the primary care program is to provide funding and support to a pediatric primary care medical practice (medical practice) to integrate into the medical practice a professional who specializes in whole-child and whole-family health and well-being.

The department shall contract with an implementation partner (primary care partner) to implement, operate, and administer the primary care program. The primary care partner shall create and implement a team-based, research-informed pediatric primary care practice evidence-based model (evidence-based model). The evidence-based model must be a comprehensive approach to guide pediatric care medical practices to deliver services to children from birth to 3 years of age and their families.

The primary care partner shall:

• Establish an application and selection process with the department for select medical practices to participate in the primary care program;
• Review applications from medical practices and select applicants to participate in the primary care program;
• Work with selected applicants to complete assessments on the applicants' community health-care systems, health and well-being practices, and related concerns; and
• Train and support the medical practices selected to participate in the primary care program to maintain fidelity to the evidence-based model.

The executive director of the department may adopt rules to carry out the purposes of the primary care program.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)