This study surveyed health and safety needs of child-care programs; examined the perceptions of directors, the person identified as being responsible for a program, concerning health consultation; and determined how directors would secure funds to pay for consultative services. The survey was conducted in a state without mandates for child-care health consultation and minimal access to consultants. The researchers designed and pilot-tested a Child Care Health and Safety Survey. Working with a task group of statewide child health experts, the researchers revised the survey and mailed it to a random sample of child-care programs. Twenty-two Head Start Programs, 122 licensed child-care centers, and 116 family child-care homes participated, representing a return rate of 73, 36, and 30%, respectively. The majority of programs expressed interest in child-care health consultation offered for free or fee-based. Directors identified reasonable means of obtaining funds to support consultation. All programs had needs related to supporting health practices in their settings, provision of health services for staff, and health screening for children. Public health nurses, specially trained to advise child care, are well positioned to offer consultation. Systems of health consultation may be accepted as fee-for-service arrangements, supporting sustainability.

Child care health consultation, an emerging health care delivery system aimed at improving the health and well-being of children enrolled in child care settings, is consistent with the public health core function of assurance. Public health nurses are the primary workforce for such consultation. Few states have critical masses of consultants, and many are struggling to financially support such programs. Through an academic-community partnership, Georgia's public health nurses are building a consultative system of child care health support. This partnership focuses on adding value in child care while strategically and financially supporting the sustainability of this population-focused practice.

Many of America's youngest children are enrolled in child care and parents expect their child care providers to be prepared to handle emergencies. Emergency preparedness in child care is complex, complicated further by threats of public health emergencies, including terrorism. Unfortunately, minimal attention has been given to the needs of child care in planning for these emergencies. Involving Child Care Health Consultants promotes child care preparedness that is integrated in to community plans. This article discusses child care emergency preparedness, offering recommendations for consultants working with child care providers.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the health behaviors and perceived health status of child care providers. Health behaviors and health status were also examined in relation to caring for children and the providers' perceptions of quality child care. A researcher-developed questionnaire, adapted from Williams, Mason, and Wold (2001), was mailed to a random sample of 1,000 child care providers employed in 49 child care centers in Georgia. Results indicated that, overall, the sample was a healthy population with 86.8% rating their health as good to excellent. Seventy-three percent (73%) received a physical exam annually, and 70% reported having health insurance. Despite these ratings, participants reported that they were overweight, were emotionally strained, and did not engage in physical exercise at least 3 times per week. Although most performed breast self-exams, the majority did not fully understand breast health practices. Furthermore, the majority of the child care providers (78.7%) believed that their health does not impact the care that they provide to children. Last, their definitions of quality of care for children suggested a minimal standard of care or less. These findings provide information that can be useful in designing occupational health programs within community child care settings and in promoting healthy behaviors in women.

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