
Initiatives
Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (ECCS CoIIN)
A multiyear initiative to improve early childhood service systems in 12 states to increase age-appropriate developmental skills among 3-year-old children and reduce developmental disparities.
Keep scrolling, or use these quick links, to learn more.
Participating States | Project Aim | Health Equity Lens | Virtual Community | Helpful Resources | Webinars | Project Articles | Related Early Childhood Projects

Status: Active
August 2016 - August 2021
- Who: Twelve states and their respective communities (see map), which will be comprised of community leaders, researchers, healthcare providers and family partners.
- Funder: Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Partners on the project include: ZERO to THREE (ZTT), Applied Engineering Management Corporation (AEM), the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
- Our Role: Lead the NICHQ Coordinating Center for ECCS CoIIN to support state teams through quality improvement and innovation, using collaboration and rapid cycle testing to create new approaches that will enhance early childhood systems.
If you are interested in learning more about this project, check out our project flyer, driver diagram or email us at eccscoiin@nichq.org
Participating States
Teams are provided technical assistance and an online collaborative workplace (NICHQ's Collaboratory) to promote continuous communication, and a data dashboard to capture shared measures and track progress toward the common agenda. Click on the map below to see a list of participating communities in the 12 "Impact Grantee" states.
Project Aim: Thriving at Three




Equity Action Lens
NICHQ is infusing its focus on health equity into the ECCS CoIIN initiative. This graphic, which we call the Equity Action Lens, shows the fusion of three perspectives essential to foster health equity: social determinants of health, life course perspective, and the social ecological model, which include multiple levels and sectors of social influence and support. The Equity Action Lens helped to guide the design of the theory of change for this initiative.











Join Our Virtual Community
The ECCS CoIIN Collaboratory (CoLab) is a virtual place where ECCS CoIIN participants and stakeholders can share ideas and best practices, ask questions, and uncover useful tips to advance their change efforts.
Already a member?
Want to join? Submit a request for an account, and a site moderator will review and send you a welcome email with additional details once approved.
Helpful Resources
We've curated several resources for those working to improve early childhood systems:
- The Integration of Early Childhood Data
State profiles and a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education - Implementation of Young Child Wellness Strategies in a Unique Cohort of Local Communities
A report of lessons learned from Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health. - The Guide to Community Preventive Services
A collection of evidence-based findings from the Community Preventive Services Task Force to improve health and prevent disease. - Achieving the Promise of a Bright Future
A policy brief from ZERO to THREE outlining recommended developmental screening of infants and toddlers. - From the Ground Up: Establishing Strong Core Policies for Infants, Toddlers and Families
This resource describes the rationale for investing in programs that support children’s development in the earliest years of life. - Infant-Toddler State Self-Assessment Toolkit
This toolkit is intended to help state policy leaders and advocates assess the current status of services for infants, toddlers and their families, and to set priorities for improvement.

Recent Webinar
Engaging Families from Diverse Backgrounds with Developmental Screening and Child Well-Being
Early childhood screenings, starting at 9 months, give children with disabilities the opportunity to thrive. At NICHQ, we're committed to helping improve access for all children. View our recent webinar to find out how to engage families from diverse backgrounds and improve screenings in your state.