The legacy of the Child Health and Development Project: Mississippi Thrive! continues through comprehensive online resources for early childhood development. These include interactive county resource maps and a robust website offering a wealth of resources for families, educators, child care providers, and health care professionals.
BACKGROUND: Originally launched in 2017 as a collaboration between the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Children’s of Mississippi and Mississippi State University’s Social Science Research Center, funded by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), The five-year Mississippi Thrive! project aimed to enhance developmental health for children from birth to age five.
TODAY: While the project’s website has transitioned to MSLift.org, focusing on Mississippi LIFT activities [Mississippi LIFT is a by-product of the federally funded Preschool Development Renewal Grant Birth to Age 5 (PDG B-5)], the valuable resources developed during the five-year initiative remain accessible. The System Change Lab maintains and updates the website and maps with ongoing support from the Mississippi Department of Human Services’ Early Childhood Care and Development Division.
These tools continue to serve as vital assets for promoting early childhood development across Mississippi, ensuring that the project’s impact endures beyond its initial funding period.
