An understated but powerful project is transforming the lives of families across Greater Houston—one that centers on early childhood health, education and resilience. Through upSTART Community Programs at Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine, parents gain access to education on early brain and language development, social support and mental health services, creating opportunities to make a life-changing difference for their families.
The Birth of upWORDS
upSTART Community Programs, which is housed in the Division of Public Health Pediatrics, launched with upWORDS in 2016 at our West Campus. Maura Dugan, assistant director of Population Health and a certified speech-language pathologist by training, saw firsthand that many of the children she was working with were entering care too late. “We wanted to give parents the tools to support positive relationships in the earliest days, when 80% of brain development occurs,” she said.
The upWORDS program addresses the “30-million-word gap”—the disparity in the number of words heard by children from different socioeconomic backgrounds before kindergarten—by providing group education on “serve and return” interactions. Research has shown these back-and-forth exchanges between parent and child are most important for brain growth, helping build foundational language and social skills that are the building blocks for literacy development. A small device called LENA, which Maura describes as a language “Fitbit,” helps parents track the number of words and frequency of spoken exchanges with their young children, improving their interactions. As one participant shared, “This program has changed our lives.”
Program Evolution and Growth
As upWORDS gained momentum, it expanded to address deeper needs within the community. Chris Greeley MD, division chief of the Division of Public Health Pediatrics at Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine, emphasized that program growth was driven by feedback from families served. “We started asking, ‘What else do you need? What barriers are you facing?'” Dr. Greeley explained. “From this, additional partners and avenues for support began to emerge, and new services and programs were developed.”
- upWORDS² focuses on understanding behaviors and socioemotional development by offering parents tools for positive parenting.
- upWORDS Bridges supports families and helps streamline the process of getting speech and developmental evaluations for children experiencing delays.
- upLIFT supports pregnant women and women who have given birth within the past year, providing tools and strategies to help ease symptoms of perinatal depression and anxiety.
- upLIFT Group is for mothers experiencing depression or anxiety who have children under three.
- upREACH+ provides support for families experiencing high-risk pregnancies.
- Community Connections connects families with community resources to address basic needs.
- Additional pilot projects include Community Health Worker Certification Training and Long-Term Case Management.
The Division has secured millions of dollars in grants to fund upSTART Community programs, making a significant difference for thousands of participants across the greater Houston area.
In addition to direct services, over 14,000 Welcome Baby Bags have been distributed to provide essentials for new parents thanks to collaborations with local partners like the Children’s Museum, and more than 6,000 program educators have been trained in early childhood development.
The Strength and Future of upSTART
A core strength of upSTART is the diverse, multidisciplinary team driving them forward. As Maura explained, “We have community health workers, social workers, nurses, health educators, public health experts, former teachers and speech-language pathologists. All are committed to the families we serve and to creating safe places for them.”
As upSTART continues to evolve, our teams remain dedicated to meeting the needs of the community through compassionate, innovative approaches. Nancy Correa, director of Population Health shared, ” The families are our true north—it’s about what these families need, and how we can do a better job of helping.”
How to Get Involved
upWORDS is accepting enrollment for new classes throughout Houston and the surrounding counties. To refer families with children 0-36 months to the program, please visit texaschildrens.org/upwords-program and complete the interest form. Referrals may also be emailed to upWORDS@texaschildrens.org.
Please complete the upLIFT referral form or visit the upLIFT Group Referral Portal to refer yourself, a patient or friend to these programs. For questions, contact upWORDS at 832-227-1828.
We are proud of our Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine teams for their tireless efforts in creating healthier futures for children and families across Greater Houston and beyond. Together, we continue to make a difference every day.
