In order to encourage children to reach their optimal healthy development, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is committed to cultivating promising new strategies that show potential for closing existing gaps in programs and services currently offered to children. One of our newest community health innovation pathways is our Advancing Kids Innovation Program (AKIP), which is overseen by our Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health (the Office).

Scott Orsey, the Office’s director of operations and strategy, recently sat down with CTStartup Podcast to discuss how AKIP provides feedback to those pursuing community health and wellbeing-related innovations through sessions called Community Health Innovation Check Up’s (CH-ICU’s). During those CH-ICU’s, four to six child health experts listen to an innovator’s idea or initiative and then provide guidance to improve the strength and viability of the product. AKIP can also provide innovators with technical assistance, access to expertise in the field, and access to potential funders.

AKIP is part of the Office’s strategy to strengthen families and community programs so they have the capacity to not only support children with delays and disorders, but to also support those who are at risk for such concerns.

In order to have the greatest impact, we recognize the need to engage all of the sectors that influence children’s healthy development, rather than focusing solely on child health services. Those other sectors include early care and education, housing, transportation, and food and nutrition, among others.

If you have a community health innovation you’re interesting in generating feedback on, feel free to reach out to our program coordinator at advancingkids@connecticutchildrens.org.

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