Child Health
Medical Care Services' Child Health Program collaborates with County departments and community partners to identify strategies and implement programs with the goal to serve all children in San Diego County. The Child Health Officer consults on numerous projects such as the County’s COVID response, reducing childhood fatalities in collaboration with the County’s Medical Examiner’s Office, and identifying strategies with County Behavioral Health Services to meet the needs of youth in mental health crisis.
Most recently, the Child Health Program was instrumental in initiating the Future Generations Council which aims to align and enhance all youth-related services in the County’s Health and Human Services Agency. Additionally, over the course of the County’s COVID response, the Program established invaluable relationships with leaders in K-12 and early childhood education that will continue to be built upon and utilized as work in the area of child health continues and expands.
COVID-19 Resources
K-12 and Early Care and Education
The Child Care Services (Early Care and Education) sector support page offers support and information to families with children ages birth to 5 years of age and Early Care and Education Providers (i.e. Center Based and Family Child Care Homes).
For any questions/comments, please e-mail us at: COVID-EarlyCare@sdcounty.ca.gov
Childhood Obesity Initiative
The San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative (COI) is a
public-private partnership. Its mission is to reduce and prevent
childhood obesity through policy, systems, and environmental
change. The COI is facilitated by UC San Diego Center for Community
Health and funded by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services
Agency (HHSA). Established in 2006, the COI engages a diverse group of
regional stakeholders with committed public leadership from the County
Board of Supervisors and program-level involvement of HHSA
staff.
LiveWell Centers/Public Health Centers
San Diego County offers immunization services at their six (6) Public Health Centers.
First 5
First 5 San Diego promotes the health and well-being of young
children during their most critical years of development, from the
prenatal stage through five years of age. Our goal is to help ensure
that every child in San Diego County enters school ready to
succeed.
First 5 San Diego provides San Diego’s youngest children with healthy development screenings, dental care, high-quality preschool and parenting workshops.
Child Welfare Services
Child Welfare Services (CWS) is committed to strengthening families
by providing trauma informed prevention and protection services
to vulnerable children, their families and communities across
the county, to reduce child abuse and neglect.
Eligibility
Federal, State and Local
Self-Sufficiency Services (SSS) provides eligibility determination and case management services for State, federal and local public assistance to over one million residents to help low income families and their children meet basic needs. Staff provide services throughout the county at eleven Family Resource Centers (FRC), two Community Resource Centers (CRC) and via phone.
Behavioral Health Services