CMCA - I Can

"I CAN" Help My Child Stay Healthy, a national health literacy training program for Head Start, is a collaboration between Central Missouri Community Action Head Start (CMCA), and the UCLA/Johnson & Johnson Health Care Institute (HCI) housed at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

CMCA Head Start was awarded a $1.1M grant to extend the HCI’s existing successful model of providing health literacy training to Head Start families both in Missouri and nationwide. The grant, an Office of Head Start Innovation and Improvement Grant, was written in response to HHS-2008-ACF-OHS-YD-0025 (Health Literacy Priority Area).

By educating and empowering Head Start parents to be the first line of defense in their children’s health care needs, our overburdened health care system can see a reduction in unnecessary emergency room and clinic visits, as well as a decrease in missed days at school and work. Through “I CAN”, Head Start parents will have increased health literacy, and the knowledge, confidence and resources to care for common childhood ailments at home.

During the course of this project, 8000 families will have been trained by September 2011 with the help of selected programs across Missouri (2009-2010) East Coast (2010) and West Coast (2011). Our focus is to help families take control and achieve self reliance. "I CAN" has the potential of great change in the lives of Head Start families and to reduce costs to the healthcare system.

For more information please review the "I CAN" brochure included on this web site, or contact Trisha Wright at trisha-wright@showmeaction.org or at (573) 219-7387 ext. 292.

UCLA Website: www.anderson.ucla.edu