The first years of a child’s life are a critical developmental period that can shape immediate and long-term well-being, making prenatal development and early childhood a key window to support healthy development and prevent harm. Resilient communities, safe housing, quality early childhood care and education, and supportive relationships with caregivers can all have a significant impact on immediate health and well-being across the life course. Through research, multi-sector collaboration, and advocacy, PI works to advance prevention practice on critical early childhood issues, including access to healthy foods and safe places to play and protection from violence, exploitation, and trauma. Prevention Institute also serves on the California Essentials for Childhood steering committee.
PI works with a breadth of partners and communities to develop strategies and practices to keep people healthy and safe in the first place. Below is a selection of ongoing or recent projects.
With funding from First 5 LA, Prevention Institute worked with community-based organizations, policy advocacy networks, and coalitions working to improve neighborhood conditions for children 0-5 and their families in Los Angeles County.
Prevention Institute and the Center for the Study of Social Policy collaborated to identify the strategic policy, practice, systems, and norms change levers to make communities safer, so that all children have the opportunity to develop optimally and participate fully in the fabric of community life.
Informed by community wisdom and experience, the Strategic Alliance network of advocates shines a light on the role that corporate and government practices play in shaping food and activity environments.
We research and write reports, white papers, fact sheets, opinion pieces, and journal articles, as well as produce videos and podcasts. Here are some of our latest offerings.
Breastfeeding undeniably has tremendous health benefits for both babies and mothers. Effective breastfeeding messages, however, must go beyond health to highlight the social and cultural context.
Parents shouldn’t look to the labels on the front of food package for guidance on picking the healthiest products for their kids.
Safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments are among the most powerful, protective, and healing forces in a child's life. This publication presents nine key elements for engaging communities, so homes, schools and neighborhood spaces help promote children's healthy development. Prevention Institute developed "Building Community Commitment for Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments" for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as a supplement to the Essentials for Childhood framework for preventing child abuse and neglect.
Offers a framework for creating food and activity environments in neighborhoods and institutions that will motivate and support families to adopt healthy behaviors.
We have developed a broad range of practical, free-to-use tools to guide practitioners, advocates, and policymakers in planning and implementing prevention strategies. We also provide services to help you use our tools to create healthy and safe communities.
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guide, developed with help from Prevention Institute, helps public health practitioners advance health equity through community prevention strategies.
These profiles, written by PI and our partners, show what community prevention looks like on the ground, all across the country.
Los Angeles County improved breastfeeding outcomes, designating 17 baby-friendly hospitals that have delivered 10,000 babies since 2012.
Watch the video and share! "We're Not Buying It" exposes deceptive marketing to children, debunks industry claims, and highlights the latest research. When we put children first, the plan of action is clear: companies should market the foods that keep kids healthy, not sugary cereals and other junk food. The IWG guidelines will help to do just that.
