On Early Childhood
  • Adverse childhood experiences can have a tremendous impact on adult health 25 years later. Effective services need to begin as early as possible.

  • Multnomah County must provide universal early screening, family and caregiver support and quality pre-school programs.

  • Nurturing early experiences and effective attachment to adults can help a child develop into a healthy young person and, later on, a healthy adult.

  • Successful programs involve the whole family, including the parents, the child, and caregivers. A successful system links services for at-risk children, including; preventative health care, behavioral health care, child and parent mental health, parenting training, affordable housing, child care and early education.
If we target the 6.7% of children who enter kindergarten lacking the social and emotional skills necessary to learn successfully, we will have made a tremendous investment in their future, and in ours.