For Parents
There are many community resources available in DC to help you and your children thrive. Here you will find material on what the Social Determinants of Health are, information about where to get groceries, who to talk to about a symptom your child has developed, how to get around DC, and much more.
We are currently in the process of developing a booklet of community resources available for children and families living in DC. This will include information about: Housing, Food, Parks and Recreation, Mental Health Services, Healthcare, Libraries and After School Programs, Churches, Police/Fire Departments, and the Metro/Bus Transportation System. Once it is completed, there will be a downloadable version of the booklet available here.
Healthy People 2030, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved 4/21/2021, from https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health
The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are defined as the conditions that are present in a person's environment that influence their life. These conditions are grouped into five categories that include:
Education access and quality
Health Care access and quality
Neighborhood and built environment
Social and community context
Economic stability
Many SDOH are important factors that contribute to your child's health and wellbeing, for example: living in a safe neighborhood, having access to nutritious foods, and opportunities to get a good education.
The SDOH were determined by a larger project directed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, called "Health People 2030." This project consists of health goals and priorities for the nation that are updated every 10 years to align with the current needs. To read more about the SDOH information on the Healthy People 2030 website, click on the following link: https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health
Aunt Bertha Resource
A great online resource is the website: findhelp.org (formerly called "Aunt Bertha"). This site can help you find many resources of different topics, including food, housing, legal assistance, and more. To begin your search click on the following link and enter your zip code.
Education
Higher education levels are good indicators for economic stability, health, and happiness. Living in poverty can often affect a child's ability to reach higher education levels, and stress from poverty also tends to interfere with the school performance of a child. So, having resources for children to do well in school, such as tutoring, and remain engaged and involved, such as sports and extracurriculars, is a vital component of childhood development.
https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/education-access-and-quality
Health Care
Health is a factor that impacts many parts of a person's life, such as their ability to work, care for their family, communicate with others, and more. Lack of health insurance is a huge barrier that prevents people from getting proper treatment for chronic illnesses and injuries, which often limits their abilities to then work or provide for their children. So, it is a critical goal to improve the quality and timeliness of healthcare services.
Neighborhood
Living in a safe, health promoting neighborhood is an important component of having wellbeing as the center of daily life. When exposure to harmful substances, such as pollution or smoke, are common in a neighborhood, it can have an impact on the physical health of its residents. In addition, neighborhoods with violence or crime can become a source of stress for families, which can lead to anxiety and other mental health problems. So, government programs such as decreasing pollution, creation of parks and sidewalks in neighborhoods, and promotion of health all improve the wellbeing of neighborhood citizens.
Community
Strong relationships with family, friends, and the community can provide an individual with social support that is very helpful throughout daily life. Having connections within the community can help parents to have support from others while raising their children, causing less stress for the family. Also, having social support can improve the feeling of security and belonging within the community. All of these lead to better health outcomes.
https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/social-and-community-context
Economic Stability
Having steady employment and earning a living wage means being able to afford healthcare, safe housing, healthy meals, and other important health promoting factors. Resources such as career counseling and job fairs can promote job stability and help people to be able to sustain a healthy life for themselves and their family.
https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/economic-stability
Food
The food a person consumes has a huge impact on the health of their body, which is why nutrition education and access to healthy food options is an important determinant of health. In DC in particular, there is a problem with access to healthy food options in Wards 7 & 8, where there is a lack of large accessible grocery stores and instead an abundance of unhealthy fast food options. So, education on how to make healthy diet choices, as well as social programs that provide access to healthy foods to communities with less options are both very important.
Early Childhood Development Tools
Milestones like sitting up or speaking are important to track in your child! Thankfully, there are apps and parent-friendly resources available to help track them early on. One of the apps also has tips on what to do if you're concerned about your child's development.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/Information-for-Early-Childhood-Educators.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones-app.html