In order to ensure healthy growth and development, and identify potential health and/or developmental concerns early, children should have regular well-child visits and receive immunizations at appropriate stages. To facilitate access to these important services the ACCEL Inititiative and the Healthy Kids Healthy Future Regional Health Insurance Initiative are working to identify families eligible for health insurance programs, enroll these families in the programs, and connect these families and their children to medical homes. The ACCEL Initiative has adopted a Pathways model that identifies the health needs of children and families and sets them on pathways towards positive health outcomes. In 2001, an estimated 616 of the 9,133 children (7%) 0-5 in El Dorado County did not have health insurance, 488 of these children (79%) would be eligible for either Medi-Cal or Healthy Families.

The expected outcomes of the Health Access Objective are to ensure children have medical insurance, a medical home, and utilize services for both preventive and emergency care.

Oral Health Access- Access to early oral health care prevents tooth decay in young children and pain and suffering due to decay which can lead to other health and development complications in young children. The California Smile Survey screened 10,949 kindergarten children statewide during the 2004-2005 school year. The survey found that more than half of kindergarteners have experienced tooth decay and more than a quarter of them have untreated decay. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry encourages parents and other care providers to help every child establish a dental home by 12 months of age. The program will follow the Pathways model adopted by ACCEL Initiative for health insurance, medical homes and medical services.

The expected outcome of the Oral Health Access Objective is to increase the number of dental providers accepting Medi-Cal, Healthy Kids and Healthy Families insurance products.