Schenectady, NY – Assemblymember Phil Steck today presented Ellis Medicine Pediatric Care with a $25,000 state grant to support its HealthySteps program, part of the national ZERO TO THREE initiative. The program focuses on early childhood development, connecting families with critical developmental, behavioral, and medical resources from the very beginning of a child’s life.

The HealthySteps program currently serves more than 1,000 children annually between the ages of 0 and 3, including 1,057 in 2024. The funding will be used to provide ongoing support to families enrolled in HealthySteps, ensuring their overall well-being through connections to early intervention services, developmental pediatrics, and local specialists such as cardiologists, neurologists, and endocrinologists. Families will also have access to family advocacy, crisis intervention, and follow-up care that addresses needs early and helps prevent immediate crises.

As part of the program, each family receives an enrollment bag filled with educational materials, community resources, and essential items such as nail clippers, bottles, thermometers, and onesies, providing both practical tools and vital connections to care from day one.

“Early intervention is one of the most effective ways we can help ensure children grow up healthy and supported,” said Assemblymember Phil Steck. “The HealthySteps program connects families to resources that address medical, developmental, and behavioral needs before they become larger issues. I’m proud to secure this funding for Ellis Medicine so that more families in our community can benefit from the care and support they need to give their children the best possible start.”

“Ellis Medicine is proud to partner with Assemblymember Steck in advancing the health and well-being of children and families in our community,” said Paul Milton, President & CEO of Ellis Medicine. “This funding for our HealthySteps program will strengthen our ability to connect families with the developmental, behavioral, and medical resources they need from the very beginning. By intervening early and surrounding families with the right support, we can help set children on a healthier path for life, and that is central to our mission of caring for Schenectady.”

“We are deeply grateful to Assemblymember Steck for securing $25,000 in funding to support our HealthySteps program,” said Bernadette McDaniel, HealthySteps Coordinator at Ellis Medicine. “This grant will allow us to continue providing excellent, compassionate care to families in Schenectady by directly supporting every aspect of a child’s development. HealthySteps connects pediatric providers with child development and behavioral health experts to guide families, address needs early, and set children on a path toward a healthier future – advancing our mission to serve the community.”

HealthySteps is a national evidence-based program under ZERO TO THREE that integrates a child development specialist into the primary care team, ensuring families receive guidance, screenings, and connections to resources during critical early years of a child’s development.

To learn more about Ellis Medicine’s HealthySteps program, visit their Web site.