Do you need a child care health consultant (CCHC)? Are you partnering in the best way? Are you a CCHC, and you’d like to refresh your knowledge?
Today’s blog will help you better understand the role and motivate you to support health, safety, and wellness in your program.
What is Child Care Health Consultation?
In Colorado, all licensed child care centers and preschools are required to have at least one monthly visit with a CCHC, a medical professional who assists the program in meeting and exceeding basic health and safety standards. These professionals also serve licensed camps, school-age programs, and family child cares.
Health consultants offer the legally required transfer of authority or delegation, so trained early childhood staff may administer medications and implement special health care procedures for children in their program. They also help create program policies related to health and safety, illness and injury prevention and documentation, infectious disease management, health and safety trainings, consultation in the classroom, emergency preparedness, infant safe sleep, and share helpful community resources.
Is your CCHC Qualified?
A CCHC must hold a current Colorado license as a registered nurse, pediatric nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, or physician with knowledge and experience in maternal and child health. CCHCs are required to:
- Complete required training
- Provide the early childhood program documentation of
- current medical or nursing license, biography, and training certificates
- consultation and visits
- staff training and delegation
How do you know if your CCHC is competent?
Healthy Child Care Colorado partnered with statewide experts in 2022 to create evidence-based best practice standards and Colorado’s CCHC Competencies, which are aligned with national CCHC competencies. These competencies can be utilized to create job descriptions, hiring documents, and the annual evaluation checklist.
How do you find a CCHC?
- Visit our website
- Go to Programs & Services
- Child Care Health Consultation
- Find a Medication Administration Trainer
- Search for a Consultant/Trainer
- Enter the zip code and a distance
- This will give you the names and emails of CCHCs to contact
You may also use our job board to post a CCHC job. Many CCHCs are in search of new programs to support.
How do you best partner with your CCHC?
The Head Start Early Learning & Knowledge Center has some great resources on how to Partner with a CCHC to Improve Health and Safety: Tips for Early Care and Education Programs
Are you a CCHC and want more?
Check out these national best practices, webinar series, and skill-building modules.