Abstract
Increasing numbers of children with a broad range of developmental healthcare problems are being educated in regular classroom settings. Developmental healthcare problems refer to a constellation of acute and chronic physical (eg, seizures, asthma, tracheostomy, diabetes), behavioral (eg, aggression, overactivity, atypical behaviors), and developmental needs of young children and their functional implications for learning, adjustment, and wellness in natural, everyday settings. Teachers, especially in early childhood settings (ie, early intervention, Head Start, early care, and education), require collaborative supports from nurses, psychologists, physicians, and inclusion consultants to manage these problems and to help children adjust and progress. Few evidence-based models for partnerships among healthcare providers, such as hospitals, early childhood programs, and schools, exist to guide systems reform efforts to provide such supports. We present a description of a 5-year, federally funded and field-validated model for collaborative developmental healthcare support in education, HealthyCHILD (Collaborative Health Interventions for Learners with Differences). This article overviews the rationale and need for such support, the evidence-based features of the HealthyCHILD model, brief case vignettes illustrating its operation, and implications and recommendations for interdisciplinary practice.