HealthySteps DC

What is HealthySteps DC?

HealthySteps DC is the Washington, D.C., based HealthySteps program. Led by the Early Childhood Innovation Network (ECIN) team, it is built on the National Zero to Three HealthySteps model of embedding an early childhood mental health specialist within pediatric primary care clinics. The goal of this specialist is to make mental health supports accessible for families at routine pediatric visits from a child’s birth through age 3.

What is the goal of HealthySteps DC?

HealthySteps DC aims to give pediatric care providers, and the families they care for, the tools and support to work together on their mental health needs. That support might include:

• Conducting behavioral health intervention sessions with families

• Acting in a case management role to meet the needs of families and connect them with the resources in the community that can meet their needs.

What does HealthySteps DC do to support new mothers?

The HealthySteps DC program includes a special focus on providing maternal mental health services to mothers. These mental health services are available for mothers when they come to the clinic for their child’s well-child and vaccine (immunization) visits. The goal is to help make maternal mental health supports more easy to access when mothers need them—which can often be during the first few months after giving birth.

Teamwork and Support: HealthySteps DC and Children's Health Center at THEARC

In a busy pediatric primary care clinic like Children’s National at THEARC, teamwork and collaboration are key to caring for every family who comes through the doors. When HealthySteps DC embedded a developmental  and clinical psychologist, Dr. Sharon Singh, at the location, it took very little time for her to become an integral part of the health clinic’s team. She formed a special bond with the location’s staff, especially pediatrician Dr. Chidiogo “Diogo” Anyigbo. Together they’ve developed a great system for working together with families and supporting each other.

Visual Stories (PDF)

Videos

Publications

Brooks K, Charlot-Swilley D,  Robertson H, Bodrick N, Danielson A,  Genovez A,  Boogaard C,   Morris S, Deshmukh S*, Kiker L, Huynh-Nhu L. 2024. “A Judgement Free Zone:” Adaptation and Pilot Study of a Virtual Wellness Group for African American Mothers with Young Children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Special Issue: Women and Men Perinatal Mental Health: Towards a Multi-Dimensional Approach.  2024, 21(4), 390.

Deshmukh S, Robertson H, Genovez M, Feldman-Schwartz T, Green O, Kiker L, Morris S, Brooks K, Charlot-Swilley D, Golomb L, Danielson A, Boogaard C, Nash J, Bodrick N, Le HN. The Acceptability and Feasibility of a Texting Program Embedded in a Virtual Wellness Group for African American Mothers. Poster presented at the 2022 International Marcé Society for Perinatal Mental Health Virtual Conference. September 2022.

Le, H-N, Brooks K, Danielson, A, Robertson H, Genovez M, Charlot-Swilley D, Golomb L, Morris S, Green O, Feldman-Schwartz T, Deshmukh S, Boogaard C, Nash J, Bodrick N. Examining the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Virtual Wellness Group for African American Mothers during COVID-19. Symposium paper: Society for Prevention Research (SPR). June 2022.

Green O, Robertson H, Feldman-Schwartz T, Kiker L, Deshmukh S, Morris S, Brooks K, Genovez M, Golomb L, Charlot-Swilley D, Boogaard C, Nash J, Bodrick N, Le HN. Examining the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Virtual Wellness Group for African American Mothers during COVID-19. Poster presentation George Washington University Research Day. April 2022.