Current Issue – Childhood Development and Education

There is no question that education, health, and well-being are linked. As a critical yet neglected determinant of health, education is associated with health behaviors, morbidity, and life expectancy, and educational attainment can determine income and employment in the future.1-3 Healthy People 2030 has listed Education Access and Quality as one of its goals (to increase educational opportunities and ensure healthy children and adolescents do well in school),4 and this education starts at an early age. The development of children includes biological, emotional, and psychological changes. These changes happen until the end of adolescence, and there is a growing consensus that early development – including access to education – influences a child’s success later in life.

In this issue, we delve into early childhood education in Delaware, with articles curated by our esteemed guest editors Madeleine Bayard, Senior Vice President at Rodel, and Matt Amis, Director of Communications. Dr. Ross Thompson begins the issue with a level setting article about brain development, and well-known authors throughout the state offer their support for the need for investment in early education in the state. Dr. Annette Pic describes a research study about young children experiencing homelessness, and several authors from the University of Delaware offer a glimpse into the education of our adolescent population.

3 | In This Issue: Childhood Development and Education
Omar A. Khan, M.D., M.H.S.; Katherine Smith, M.D., M.P.H.

4 | Guest Editors’ Forward
Madeleine Bayard, B.A., M.P.P.; Matt Amis, B.A.

6 | Early Brain Development and Public Health
Ross A. Thompson, Ph.D.

12 | Investing in Delaware’s Early Care and Education to Improve Public Health
W. Steven Barnett, Ph.D.; Karin Garver; Allison Friedman-Krauss, Ph.D.

16 | The DPH Bulletin – September 2024

20 | It’s Time for Transformational Investments in Early Childhood in Delaware. Help Advocates Make It Happen
Donald Parsons

22 | PNC’s Commitment to Economic Prosperity Through Early Learning
Greg Miraglia

24 | Invest in Early Care and Education to Build Delaware’s Healthcare Workforce of Today and Tomorrow
Colleen Perry Keith, Ph.D.; Brian DiSabatino

26 | Early Education is the Civil Rights and Public Health Issue of the Century
Jarrett Royster

28 | Delaware’s Progress and Potential in Early Childhood
Lynn C. Jones, M.H.A., F.A.C.H.E.

30 | A Child’s Health Begins at Pregnancy, Requires Solid Early Investments, and Follows a Child into Adulthood
Priscilla Mpasi, M.D., F.A.A.P.

32 | Fogarty International – Global Health Matters

44 | Families and Businesses in Delaware Share a Common Challenge: Child Care
Michael J. Quaranta

46 | Navigating Life: Delaware Families Experiencing Homelessness with Young Children
Annette Pic, Ph.D.

56 | Delaware Ranks 45th Nationally in Education Outcomes: Measuring Academic Success and Improving Educational Outcomes for Delaware’s Youth
Kelly Oberheim; Janice Barlow, M.P.A.

62 | Youth Mental Health in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Rebecca McColl, M.A.; Erin Nescott, M.S.

68 | Early Investments Yield Long-Term Health and Community Returns
David A. Tam, M.D., M.B.A., C.P.H.E., F.A.C.H.E.; E. Thomas Harvey, III;
Megan Tucker; Stephanie Scarmo, Ph.D., M.P.H.

70 | Creating the Healthiest Generations of Children: How Nemours Children’s Health is Increasing Accessibility to Health Education
Adrienne Palmer, C.L.S.; Erica Singleton, M.P.H., C.H.E.S.72 | Resources

72 | Resources

74 | Index of Advertisers

76 | Delaware Journal of Public Health Submission Guidelines