group of children blowing bubbles

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see."

- President John F. Kennedy

Our Mission

Smart Start Suffolk is a county-wide, early childhood initiative which addresses all aspects of a child’s development through the collaboration of intergovernmental agencies and community partners. Smart Start Suffolk streamlines access to resources in an effort to increase awareness and accessibility for all constituents.

In addition, the efforts of our pilot program work to serve underserved communities by utilizing evidence-based supports during home visits to address holistically the well-being and literacy of the child to ensure kindergarten readiness.

Fast Facts on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)

ACEs are common.

About 61% of adults surveyed across 25 states reported that they had experienced at least one type of ACE.

Prevention is a major key

Preventing ACEs could potentially reduce a large number of health conditions.

ACEs are costly!

The economic and social costs to families, communities, and society totals hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

Some children are at greater risk than others.

Women and several racial/ethnic minority groups were at greater risk for having experienced 4 or more types of ACEs.

With the right social supports we can prevent the lasting impact of ACEs.

Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html