Dr. Tyler Watts and the HUD PHD Working Group Presents: Ken Dodge

Global data show the United States continues to lag behind the developed world in early-life morbidity and mortality. Although psychologists have made important discoveries about how problem behaviors such as child abuse develop and have created efficacious interventions to treat these problems, they have had virtually no impact on the population rate of these behaviors. This presentation will describe a population approach to early child abuse prevention that resembles primary care in medicine and might be called a primary system of care for families. The approach includes three components: a top-down infrastructure to support early childcare and education; financial subsidies to families in need; and bottom-up universal home visits. Empirical
studies will be reported to test each of these components, featuring Family Connects, a universal system of care that incorporates these components. Two randomized controlled trials, a field quasi-experiment, and implementation in 55 communities nationwide support this approach. The presentation will conclude with a call for behavioral scientists to direct their efforts to population mental and behavioral health.