Act Early Initiative

The Act Early Initiative promotes collaboration among early childhood programs in states and territories so children with autism or other developmental disabilities can be identified early and get the services and support they and their families need.

Working with state, U.S. territory, and national partners, CDC aims to help improve early childhood systems by:

• Enhancing collaborative efforts within each state and territory to improve screening and referral to early intervention services through Act Early regional summits.
• Supporting Act Early Ambassadors to expand the program’s reach.
• Supporting Act Early state teams with State Systems Grants to improve early identification of autism and other developmental disabilities.

CDC works with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), and state-level systems focused on advocacy, early intervention, public health, education, and health care to improve early identification of developmental delay.

Act Early Ambassadors

Act Early Ambassadors expand the reach of the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program and support their respective state’s work toward improving early identification.

Beginning in 2011, professionals with medical, child development, developmental disability, special education, and early intervention expertise were selected to:

• Promote “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” messages and strategies through collaboration with partners.
• Promote the Autism Case Training (ACT): A Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Curriculum.
• Support their state’s Act Early team.

The Act Early Ambassadors project is a collaborative effort of CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and AUCD.

Act Early State Systems Grants

To build on the momentum from the collaborative Act Early state teamwork, with support from CDC, in 2010 AMCHP began funding small grants to states. These grants are designed to strengthen state and community systems for early identification and coordination of services for children with developmental disabilities.

Learn more about Act Early State Systems Grants »