In 1990 a Maternal and Child Health project was initiated to create Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children and Adolescents. This document is unique because it views health comprehensively, taking into account physical well-being, mental health, cognitive development and social efficacy. While the guidelines foster a partnership between professionals and families, and address issues of great concern to families, they are written by and for medical professionals. The task of NPCMCH, together with Family Voices, is to transform their content to be of use to families.

About Bright Futures
Bright Futures Children's Health Charter
Prenatal & Infant Guidelines (prenatal - 9months)
Early Childhood Guidelines (1 - 4 years)
Middle Childhood Guidelines (5 - 10 years)
Adolescence Guidelines (11 - 21 years)

About Bright Futures

Sponsored by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Medicaid Bureau of the Health Care Financing Administration, the Bright Futures project was initiated in 1990. Under the leadership of Morris Green, MD, 500 health professionals helped develop comprehensive, culturally competent, family-centered, community-based child health supervision guidelines.

The Bright Futures guidelines represent the consensus of four multidisciplinary expert panels who drafted the guidelines based on their review of science and on their expert opinions. The guidelines were then reviewed by health professionals, including child psychiatrists, dentists, educators, family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, nutritionists, parents, pediatricians, policy-makers, public health professionals, and social workers.

Bright Futures is unique because it:

Bright Futures Children's Health Charter

Throughout this century, principles developed by advocates for children have been the foundation for initiatives to improve children's lives. Bright Futures participants have adopted these principles in order to guide their work and meet the unique needs of children and families into the 21st century.

Every child deserves to be born well, to be physically fit, and to achieve
self-responsibility for good health habits.
*
Every child and adolescent deserves ready access
to coordinated and comprehensive preventive, health-promoting, therapeutic,
and rehabilitative medical, mental health, and dental care. Such care is best provided
through a continuing relationship with a primary health professional or team,
and ready access to secondary and tertiary levels of care.
*
Every child and adolescent deserves a nurturing family
and supportive relationships with other significant persons who provide security,
positive role models, warmth, love, and unconditional acceptance.
A child's health begins with the health of his parents.
*
Every child and adolescent deserves to grow and develop
in a physically and psychologically safe home and school environment
free of undue risk of injury, abuse, violence, or exposure to environmental toxins.
*
Every child and adolescent deserves satisfactory housing, good nutrition,
a quality education, an adequate family income, a supportive social network,
and access to community resources.
*
Every child deserves quality child care
when her parents are working outside the home.
*
Every child and adolescent deserves the opportunity to develop ways to cope
with stressful life experiences.
*
Every child and adolescent deserves the opportunity to be prepared for parenthood.
*
Every child and adolescent deserves the opportunity to develop positive values
and become a responsible citizen in his community.
*
Every child and adolescent deserves to experience joy, have high self-esteem,
have friends, acquire a sense of efficacy, and believe that she can succeed in life.
She should help the next generation develop the motivation and habits
necessary for similar achievement.

Last Updated 8/21/96

Return to NPCMCH Home Page