June 23, 2008 - The March 2008 issue of Pediatric Annals includes three articles that focus on the implications of Bright Futures--updated health supervision guidelines for children from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
In the Literature
May 28, 2008 - The first-ever state-by-state health system "scorecard" to focus on children's health care finds wide differences across the country in the quality of care delivered, as well as disparities in access to services, insurance costs, and health outcomes, among other areas.
Fund Report
February 28, 2008 - This report from the National Academy for State Health Policy discusses the experiences of the five states that participated in the second Assuring Better Child Health and Development (ABCD) II. ABCD is Commonwealth Fund-sponsored program designed to strengthen primary health care services and systems that support the healthy mental development of young children, ages birth to three.
Fund Report
February 26, 2008 - The importance of surveillance and screening for developmental problems of young children is widely recognized by experts and reflected in pediatric practice guidelines. But many providers need guidance in choosing the screening instrument that is right for their practice. This new manual will inform practitioners' selection and application of screening instruments in a range of practice settings.
Fund Manual
February 12, 2008 - Are there more efficient ways to deliver well-child care? Fund vice president Edward Schor believes there are. Read his recent commentary in the Journal of Pediatrics for recommendations on making office visits more productive for children, parents, and providers.
In the Literature
February 12, 2008 - Writing in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Fund vice president Edward L. Schor, M.D., argues that children with special health care needs--and, indeed, all children--require a tailored health care plan that combines preventive care with individualized services.
In the Literature
December 21, 2007 - Healthy Steps for Young Children--a program designed to foster closer relationships between health care professionals and parents in addressing the physical, emotional, and intellectual development of young children--can significantly improve continuity of care practices among pediatricians in training.
In the Literature
December 11, 2007 - This Commonwealth Fund report finds significant under-detection of developmental delays in early childhood. The author says that it will be necessary to address financial, educational, and other barriers to physicians' use of developmental screening tools.
Fund Report
September 12, 2007 - This Fund-supported study finds that use of a simple screening tool during pediatric visits can increase discussion of family problems between parents and providers, and also increase the number of referrals to community resources such as graduate equivalency diploma programs, job training, and food pantries.
In the Literature
September 12, 2007 - A low-cost program designed to enhance the delivery of childhood behavioral and developmental services was found to have lasting benefits on quality of care for young families and other positive parenting behaviors more than two years post intervention, according to a Commonwealth Fund-supported study published in the September issue of Pediatrics.
In the Literature
August 9, 2007 - The July 2007 House and Senate bills reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) include provisions to enhance quality in the program. In this report, noted child health experts offer strategies for promoting effective health coverage and achieving high quality through SCHIP and Medicaid.
Fund Report
April 18, 2007 - This new Fund online manual, based on the experiences of the Parental Well-Being Project at Dartmouth Medical School, provides background information, training materials, and office systems guidance to child care providers on screening parents for depression, as well as referral.
Fund Manual
March 20, 2007 - In the new issue of Health Affairs, UCLA researchers working with Fund support look at the problems plaguing the child health system and propose an agenda for radical system change. Instead of a patchwork of programs and funding, the authors recommend integrated care that takes a more comprehensive approach to optimizing health development.
In the Literature
March 20, 2007 - A Fund-supported examination of Medicaid enrollment data in Health Affairs shows that while Medicaid provides long-term, continuous coverage for millions of children, it creates a "revolving door" for others through breaks in coverage caused by periodic eligibility checks.
In the Literature
March 6, 2007 - The debate in Congress over the State Children's Health Insurance Program--set to expire in September 2007--has brought children's health coverage to the forefront of the political agenda. A new Health Affairs article by Fund researchers provides a timely reminder that attention needs to be paid to the scope and quality of that coverage.
In the Literature