Welcome to Massachusetts Act Early

Massachusetts Act Early aims to educate parents and professionals about healthy childhood development, early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders, the importance of routine developmental screening, and timely early intervention whenever there is a concern. 

Whether you are a parent or a professional who works with young children and their families, our hope is that you will find helpful information at the MA Act Early website to promote healthy development in all children.

Please visit us often as we add new information to reflect our growing state campaign.  We hope to see you again soon!

Massachusetts Act Early is the state campaign for the national "Learn the Signs. Act Early." program run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), in collaboration with the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD). 

Read the latest MA Act Early State & National News
MA Act Early State Team Members Guest Blog for Autism Awareness Month
Want to learn why early identification is so important to the members of the MA Act Early state team?  Several of our members were "guest bloggers" on New England INDEX's disability blog during Autism Awareness month.  (Read more on our News page). Topics include:

• The Massachusetts Act Early Campaign: Because Early Identification is Important to Us
  
• Early Identification Makes a Difference: An Educator’s Perspective
• One in a Million: A Physician’s Perspective
• Why Early Identification is Important to Me: A Parent’s Point of View

Elaine Gabovitch renamed CDC Act Early Ambassador for Massachusetts
The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) has renamed MA Act Early's State Team Leader Elaine Gabovitch to serve as the CDC Act Early Ambassador for Massachusetts through April 2014.  (Read more on our News page).

Past news:

• MA Act Early to "Light It Up Blue" on April 2 at UMass Medical School (April 2, 2013)
• MA Act Early State Partner UMass Amherst hosted John Elder Robison on April 1, Light It Up Blue April 2
  
• Online CDC Autism Case Training course for free CME, CNE, CEUs  (September 2012)
• Free "Considering Culture in Autism Screening" Kit assists health care providers (February 2012)
• CDC reports that the prevalence for autism spectrum disorders is now one in 88 (March 2012)

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"Learn the Signs. Act Early." materials

"Learn the Signs. Act Early." materials
The Massachusetts Act Early campaign is happy to announce that we now have Massachusetts versions of key CDC "Learn the Signs. Act Early." brochures and booklets.  The materials are customized with contact information for families in need of assistance from either:

• Family TIES of Massachusetts,
• MA Department of Early Education and Care, or
• MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. 

Please click here to access these helpful materials.