Bright Start for South Dakota Children

Bright Start Initiative
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Picture of two children playing with a toy shopping cart. One of the top priorities of the Bright Start Initiative is to assure that every baby born in South Dakota has the opportunity for a good start in life. Bright Start components include the areas of infant brain development, comprehensive early childhood development that includes physical, intellectual, emotional and social development, parent education and health care.

Bright Start is a comprehensive early childhood initiative composed of the following components:

  • Home Visitation

  • Newborn Hearing Screenings

  • Early Intervention Screenings

  • Immunizations

  • Web Site

  • Parent/Infant Welcome Box

  • Monthly Parent Update

  • Responsive Parenting Seminars

The Home Visitation program targets expectant mothers and is designed to help them improve their health in order to give birth to healthy babies. Parents and prospective parents will receive home visits to learn how to care for their personal health needs, care for their child or children, stimulate their child’s development and provide a nurturing home environment.

Newborn hearing screenings, early intervention screenings and immunizations are all part of the effort to ensure a child’s bright start in life.

This Web site provides information that will assist a parent or care giver in nurturing a child’s healthy development. Ages and stages information helps parents know what they can generally expect of their child at a specific age. Activities to stimulate domains of development (physical, intellectual, emotional, social) are included with the ages and stages information. Appropriate children’s books and music are suggested. This Web site also lists books, magazines, videos, links to related web sites and telephone numbers that can assist parents in raising and nurturing their child.

A Welcome Box will be sent to every newborn infant in South Dakota. The items in the box are intended to assist parents as they help their babies get a good, healthy start in life. The Bright Start Box for South Dakota Children includes:

  • Bright Start Brochure

  • Food for Thought Video

  • Mozart Baby CD -- Music for Growing Minds

  • Ages and Stages Book

  • What To Do When Your Child Gets Sick (book)

  • Magnet with Bright Start Toll Free (800) number

  • Library Card

  • Informational Inserts

A toll free number 1-800-305-3064 has been established to provide referrals for service, answer questions or offer general information.