Linkages to Community Resources

Healthy StepsSM practices often provide a book of community resources that includes information on child care programs, libraries, and play groups as well as on programs for substance abuse, counseling, domestic stress, and housing. In addition, many of the practices have a parent-to-parent bulletin board in the office containing a variety of information, from child care resources to used baby clothing and equipment for sale, which can serve as a forum for mothers and fathers to communicate with each other.

The practices also encourage connections among their Healthy Steps families and with community activities. Often, practices publish newsletters providing information on new research or guidelines for infant care.

Click here to view or download the protocol for Community Linkages.


The Healthy Steps services were originally developed as program requirements for use in the national evaluation phase of the program. In order to ensure the integrity of the evaluation, all sites needed to implement Healthy Steps in virtually the same manner. Because evaluation concerns will not affect new practices beginning Healthy Steps operations, these practices will have considerable flexibility in shaping their Healthy Steps programs. New practices should therefore use these protocols as guidance in their decision making.