A partnership to support perinatal health, family well-being, and early childhood development during the first 1,000 days (conception through a child’s 2nd birthday).
The first 1,000 days of life, from conception through a child’s second birthday, are a critical period that shapes lifelong health and well-being. Every year, approximately 85,000 babies are born in Washington State, and families experience a wide range of opportunities and challenges as they navigate pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, and early childhood development.
Supporting parents, babies, and families during this period is one of the most effective ways to promote healthy outcomes across generations. Access to coordinated healthcare, trusted information, parenting resources, and community support can help families thrive throughout pregnancy and the early years of a child’s life.
While many healthcare and community-based services are available, they can be difficult to navigate and access. Families may benefit from support with medical, social, behavioral health, or other challenges that arise during the perinatal period. Creating seamless connections to services and resources can help ensure that every family receives the right level of support at the right time.
The vision: Healthy Families, Healthy Babies
Long-term goal: Make UW Medicine, and ultimately Washington State, the healthiest place in the country to have a baby and raise a young child.
The Raising Washington Initiative seeks to develop an evidence-based, fully integrated perinatal support program that promotes the health and well-being of families during the first 1,000 days. The program will provide coordinated care, parenting support, health and wellness resources, and connections to community services for all families receiving care within UW Medicine.
Through patient- and provider-informed care pathways, family navigators, and accessible information and resources, Raising Washington will help families successfully navigate pregnancy, childbirth, and early childhood. While available to all families, the program will also identify those who may benefit from additional support and connect them with specialized services to address their unique needs as early as possible.
Support for the program
Raising Washington is supported by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences’ Garvey Institute for Brain Health Solutions and UW Medicine Advancement. The initiative has strong Executive Leadership from UW Medicine departments of Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Midwifery, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Schools of Nursing and Social Work. The Clinical Leadership Team developing the program consists of providers working with parents, families, and babies through the perinatal continuum with input from a UW Lived Experience Advisory Board. Critical to the success of this program is the development of a Navigator Team who will work alongside parents and clinical providers to support families during pregnancy and the child’s first two years of life.
From Spring 2026 through Fall of 2027, we will plan and conduct a Pilot of Raising Washington in partnership with several outpatient and inpatient clinics to test this program with a minimum of 100 women delivering a child at UW Medicine.
To learn more this work, please contact Lori Ferro, MHA, project manager (ljf9@uw.edu).