Child Health Day, October 5, 2009: Focus on the Medical Home

National Child Health Day, originally proclaimed by President Calvin Coolidge in 1928, provides an opportunity to focus the Nation's attention on the importance of the health and well-being of children.

This year's Child Health Day is on October 5 and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)/National Center for Medical Home Implementation is celebrating by highlighting medical home since it is such an important part of improving the health for all children and youth.

Medical home is defined as a model of delivering primary care that is accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family-centered, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective (American Academy of Pediatrics).

Resources on this topic include:

• American Academy of Pediatrics, National Center for Medical Home Implementation
• Maternal and Child Health Bureau: Child Health Day
• Medical Home Portal
• National Medical Home Autism Initiative
• Selected National Center for Cultural Competence Resources:
  • Promoting Cultural and Linguistic Competency
    • Self-Assessment Checklist for Personnel Providing Primary Health Care Services
  • Promoting Cultural Diversity and Cultural Competency
    • Self-Assessment Checklist for Personnel Providing Services and Supports to Children with Disabilities & Special Health Needs and their Families
    • Cultural Competence: It All Starts at the Front Desk
    • CulturalCompetence Health Practitioner Assessment
• Selected Resources from the MCH Library:
  • Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs: Knowledge Path
  • Community Services Locator: Primary Health Care