P2.143: Training Medical Providers at Reach Out and Read Clinics on Head Start and Early Head Start Health Requirements

Background: Head Start and Early Head Start (HS/EHS) are federally funded programs aimed at serving low-income children by providing comprehensive services, including early education, health screenings, nutrition, and family support, to children from birth to age five. The mandated health requirements for HS/EHS are sometimes difficult from programs to meet.

Methods: Medical providers from 17 Reach Out and Read (ROR) clinics were surveyed before and after an in-person training intervention. Post-training surveys were collected six to nine months after the intervention. Surveys were received electronically or by paper and entered into REDCap. Quantitative data was collected and analyzed. To assess pre- and post-training differences, paired t-tests were used for continuous outcomes and McNemar's test for paired categorical outcomes.

Results: Out of 241 providers, 135 responded to the pre-training survey and 68 to the post-training survey. Among respondents, 37% (N = 90) were female, 60% (N = 81) were residents, and 40% (N = 44) were other types of medical providers. Training significantly increased provider familiarity with Head Start and Early Head Start (HS/EHS), as measured on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not familiar, 5 = familiar). Familiarity scores for Head Start increased from 3.84 (SD = 0.87) to 4.18 (SD = 0.69; t(55) = -2.96, p = .005), and for Early Head Start from 3.38 (SD = 1.07) to 3.97 (SD = 0.85; t(55) = -3.58, p = .001). Overall knowledge scores on HS/EHS, based on nine items regarding HS/EHS requirements, improved significantly from 1.89 (SD = 2.22) to 4.72 (SD = 2.03; t(60) = 4.75, p < .001). Specifically, the significant improvements were observed in correct responses for enrollment requirements (p = .043), attendance policies (p < .001), and health form requirements (p = .001). Providers also demonstrated significant increased interest in learning more about HS/EHS (p = .006) and in providing referrals (p < .001).

Conclusion: The training intervention significantly enhanced medical providers’ familiarity with and knowledge of HS/EHS program, particularly regarding its enrollment eligibility, health form requirements, and attendance policies. These improvements indicate that the training effectively equips providers with the necessary information to offer appropriate referrals for children in need, facilitate enrollment with the required forms, and provide relevant guidance or information to parents who are seeking these services.