HealthySteps Specialist Competencies

and related resources

HealthySteps transforms the promise of pediatric primary care by integrating a HealthySteps Specialist into the primary care team who contributes expertise in child development and behavioral health promotion and prevention. Together they partner with families to foster healthy child development and life-long wellbeing.

The HealthySteps Specialist contributes a unique constellation of dispositions, knowledge, and skills in eight areas of practice that are critical to fulfilling the HealthySteps model and mission.

The HealthySteps Specialist Competencies

The dispositions, knowledge, and skills of this key role are defined and described, in The HealthySteps Specialist Competencies. As with any set of professional competencies, The HealthySteps Specialist Competencies acknowledges the breadth and depth of expertise of this professional role and provides a framework for knowledge and skill development.

Listen to the recorded Virtual Learning Event (March 2022) when the HealthySteps Specialist Competencies were introduced to the Network. Hear from the Writing Team about the vision for and design of the Competencies and learn about ways they can be used to support HealthySteps Specialists in their critical work.

Meet the Writing Team

Melissa Buchholz

Melissa Buchholz, PsyD, IMH-E®, IV-C
Associate Professor, University of Colorado, School of Medicine;
HealthySteps State Director, Assuring Better Child Health and Development, Denver, CO

Paul Bulman

Paul Bulman, PhD
Assistant Director, Trauma Informed Care;
Supervising Psychologist, Pediatrics, Behavioral Health Integration Program
Montefiore Medical Group, Bronx, NY

Dominique Charlot-Swilley

Dominique Charlot-Swilley, PhD
Director, Provider Wellbeing Practice;
Expert Advisor/Technical Assistance of HealthySteps for Early Childhood Innovation Network,
Georgetown University Medical Center, Center for Child & Human Development, Washington, D.C.

DeAnn Davies

DeAnn Davies, MS, CLC, C-IPMH
Director, Early Childhood Outreach and Pediatric Psychology, Summit Healthcare, Show Low, AZ

Kenya Malcolm

Kenya Malcolm, PhD, IMH-E®
Director, Infant and Early Childhood Initiatives, Department of Psychiatry;
HealthySteps Project Lead and Supervising Psychologist
University of Rochester-Golisano Children’s Hospital, Rochester, NY

Kate Margolis

Kate Margolis, PhD
Associate Professor, University of California-San Francisco;
Director, ZSFG Division of Integrated Behavioral Health, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA

Shay-Lee Perez

Shaylee Perez, PsyD
Training and Technical Assistance Specialist, HealthySteps, Washington DC;
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, New York, NY;
Staff Counselor, Redeemer Counseling Services, New York, NY.

HS Specialists Graph

Honoring Those Who Came Before Us

During The HealthySteps Specialist Competencies Virtual Learning Event, participants were able to reflect and create a wordcloud honoring all those in the field who have contributed to their knowledge and growth as HS Specialists. 

*This list is not exhaustive.