The Early Childhood Development Branch provides leadership in achieving the health goals of state early childhood initiatives through Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS), Child Care Health Consultants, Early Childhood Mental Health, and the Kentucky Early Intervention System (KEIS), formerly known as First Steps.
Approximately 21 percent of all children provided preventive health services are in need of further evaluation and treatment of a condition or problem when detected early is less costly than if allowed to worsen over time.
It is estimated that every dollar spent on early intervention for children results in a cost avoidance of $7. The future of Kentucky depends upon the healthy development of its youngest citizens.