November 27, 2022 ~ Vanessa interviewed Dr. Teresa Holtrop who is a native of Michigan. She completed medical school at Michigan State University, and her pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of MI in Detroit. She is Board certified in pediatrics. They talked about how United Way for Southeastern Michigan continues to connect families in our region to reliable information and helpful resources. These “What’s the Word Wednesday” town halls are part of a series addressing vital topics. Partnering with experts from government, education and nonprofits, these 30-minute interactive conversations address timely issues for everyone.Dr. Teresa Holtrop, pediatrician and co-founder of the Wayne Children’s Healthcare Access Program joined United Way to talk about LENA Start, a school readiness program in Metro Detroit. LENA Start is an evidence-based community program designed to engage families and help them learn how to increase conversation with their children during the first few years of life. This program is used in several organizations providing early childhood education, including Wayne Metro CAA, Black Family Development and Brilliant Detroit. After completing a 4 year National Health Service Corp commitment at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Detroit she worked for 24 years as faculty at the Children’s Hospital of MI General Pediatric Clinic, founding and running the CATCH Pediatric Mobile Team for 16 of those years. As a member of the MI Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, she has trained numerous practices in how to effectively screen children for developmental delays, autism, and mental health issues. She is currently the executive and medical director of Kids’ Health Connections, a non-profit organization that seeks to help medical practices serving Medicaid-enrolled children to improve the quality of the care they provide. Understanding the link between improved early literacy and positive health outcomes, she has dedicated considerable effort toward identifying and implementing effective interventions that promote emerging literacy as primary prevention. www.miramw.org