This week, we had the privilege of welcoming more than 100 leaders and partners to Orange County for the HealthySteps SoCal Summit: Putting Dyadic Care Into Practice. Co-sponsored by HealthySteps, CalOptima, Health Management Associates (HMA), and First 5 Riverside, the summit brought together Managed Care Plans, First 5s, pediatric champions, and early childhood system leaders for a full day of shared learning and collaboration.
The goal of the summit was to deepen our collective understanding of dyadic care and elevate the progress being made across California through the HealthySteps model. Together, we explored real experiences from providers that are already seeing the powerful impact of this approach. The conversations sparked meaningful cross‑sector dialogue and strengthened our shared momentum toward expanding family-centered care across Southern California.
First 5 Orange County is proud to support the implementation of ZERO TO THREE’s HealthySteps program across the county. HealthySteps is a proven, evidence-based model that cares for both the child and caregiver, bringing dyadic support into everyday pediatric care. It helps ensure families, especially those in in low-income communities, receive timely well-child visits, developmental screenings, maternal depression screenings, and quick connections to behavioral health services when they need them most.
“Today is really about a simple idea: the relationship between a young child and their caregiver is an essential part of healthcare.For those of us who work in early childhood, this may not sound revolutionary. We have long understood that a child’s development and well-being are deeply connected to the health, stability, and well-being of their caregivers.
But what is exciting is that we are increasing recognition of these early relationships as essential for health throughout the healthcare system. That is the promise of dyadic care.”
– First 5 Orange County President/CEO Kim Goll
By guiding clinics in adopting this data-informed, family-centered model, First 5 Orange County is helping strengthen the delivery of comprehensive care for young children and their caregivers. Additionally, HealthySteps services are reimbursable through Medi-Cal, the approach offers not only meaningful impact for families, but long-term sustainability for clinics as well. The results are clear: clinics are completing more developmental screenings, dedicating greater attention to autism, maternal depression, social determinants of health, and social-emotional development – and families are receiving timely, appropriate support when they need it most.
This week’s summit was a celebration of that progress, and a reminder of what’s possible when partners across systems come together with a shared commitment to families. If the energy and collaboration we saw are any indication, Southern California is well on its way to building a stronger, more connected early childhood system for the children and caregivers who need it most.