NC Project LAUNCH Gaining National Recognition

Alamance County is part of an exciting new program that promotes the health and wellness of young children birth to age eight and their families. NC Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health) supports young children’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development to help strengthen families and promote parent-child interactions that support healthy development. The program integrates several areas such as development screenings, home visits, mental health consultations and parent education to create a continuum for health promotion and prevention.

The two largest pediatric practices in Burlington, NC are partners in Project LAUNCH.  Burlington Pediatrics and Kernodle Clinic Pediatrics’ Mental Health Teams provide training through the Positive Parenting Program and deliver comprehensive primary care to children and families through a two-generation Family Centered Medical Home model.  A home visiting consortium has been established which is integrated, coordinated and sustainable.

LAUNCHNC Project LAUNCH is gaining state and national recognition, having been featured in American Academy of Pediatrics’ National Center for Medical Home Implementation Webinar: How to incorporate best practices in Family Centered Care in Your Practice (May 2013) and as the winner of a NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Child Health Recognition Award (September 2013).

Submitted by Martha Kaufman, Local Director, NC Project LAUNCH. Martha can be reached at: martha.kaufman@alamance-nc.com