Associated Pediatricians pioneers Indiana’s first HealthySteps program

Associated Pediatricians is breaking ground as the first medical practice in Indiana to implement HealthySteps. This evidence-based initiative transforms traditional pediatric care by embedding developmental support directly into the clinical team. By integrating these resources on-site, the practice advocates for Northwest Indiana families during a child’s most critical years of growth.

“During a child’s first 1,000 days, they will visit their pediatric care provider 12 times,” said Laura Green, training and technical assistance specialist at First Things First Porter County. “First Things First is thrilled to introduce the HealthySteps model in Indiana to meet families where they are. Associated Pediatricians, the first doctors to adopt this program in the state, is bravely leading the way and giving Porter County babies the best start for a healthy beginning.

The HealthySteps initiative follows a national model from the nonprofit ZERO TO THREE to integrate a child development specialist directly into the pediatric team. This specialist works alongside doctors to ensure the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of young children are met during their most critical years of growth.

“The first three years of a child’s life set the foundation for brain architecture, language development and important relationships,” Green said. “The doctors, nurses, and staff at Associated Pediatricians have embraced the significance of these early years. As trusted messengers, they serve a critical need to support and guide families to be their child’s first and most important teacher.”

Kelly Gonzalez serves as the HealthySteps Specialist and works directly with the medical practice on-site at both the Valparaiso and Portage locations. With years of early intervention work with Head Start and the School City of Hobart, Gonzalez provides immediate consultations during well-child visits to support healthy development. She also offers families expert guidance on sleep routines, nutrition and emotional regulation.

“HealthySteps encourages the health, well-being, and school readiness of children from birth to 3 years old, so that’s our goal,” Gonzalez said. “We really try to meet the families where they’re at and discuss their baby—how they’re doing, their routine, if they’re sleeping and eating okay–and we want to support both the child and the family.”

Gonzalez connects families to community resources by addressing social needs often missed during traditional exams. Office staff assist in identifying families facing challenges like food insecurity or transportation barriers, and facilitate a hand-off to Gonzalez. This on-site connection removes the stigma and logistical hurdles of seeking social services. With her background in social work, Gonzalez coordinates with local partners for long-term family stability.

“Families that have extra questions or concerns, I have that time to go in and answer them,” Gonzalez said. “I can also be calling them to follow up with resources, and hopefully close gaps in the process so they are not left with unanswered questions. I am really passionate about being a person who is helping make a difference for others and being there for support.”

Dr. Dianna Brogan, a pediatrician and partner at Associated Pediatricians, spent nearly two years spearheading the effort to bring HealthySteps to Indiana. After identifying a critical service gap for families with children under age 5, Brogan navigated the rigorous application process and national training requirements to transform the practice’s approach to primary care. The practice received official approval on February 26 to launch the holistic medical model. This approach treats social and emotional health with the same urgency as physical development.

“We are indeed the first practice in Indiana to have an official HealthySteps program,” Brogan said. “The beautiful thing about this program is that absolutely anyone in Associated Pediatricians—from billing to reception to medical assistant to nurse, to providers, to the manager, to anybody in our office—can request a HealthySteps consult.”

The program serves as a permanent pillar of pediatric care and is a potential model for the state. Integrating specialists like Gonzalez removes traditional barriers to mental health and development resources. The practice focuses on the first 1,000 days of life to improve long-term literacy and emotional health for Porter County families. Brogan plans to share these results at national conferences to inspire other Indiana practices to adopt the model and shift the state’s approach to early intervention.

“I love my patients, and I am passionate about quality care and helping the entire child and their families,” Brogan said. “I wanted to meet families where they are and help their child be the best and healthiest they can be.”

A $5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to the Porter County Community Foundation supports the First Things First Porter County program. This funding allowed Associated Pediatricians to launch the initiative by covering staff training and the specialist’s salary. The grant helps the practice provide non-medical services that insurance typically excludes. Families can now access help with housing, food security, and mental health resources. The partnership also connects families with the Seeds of Promise program to help establish 529 college savings accounts for newborns.

“We need to be a voice for these voiceless, young humans, because they will be running the world someday, and we want to give them everything we can to make them healthy, successful citizens who will carry on our bright future,” Brogan said.

To discover how HealthySteps is transforming pediatric care, visit healthysteps.org. For more on local early childhood initiatives and resources, visit firstthingspc.org.