Frequently Asked Questions

What work is Nemours Health & Prevention Services (NHPS) doing?
We are working with the community to develop programs that will improve the health of children, both physically and emotionally. We’ll start in Delaware with the goal of contributing knowledge that will have implications and value for children nationally.

Is NHPS part of the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children?
Both NHPS and the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children are divisions of Nemours, a nonprofit organization dedicated to children’s health and health care. Nemours also operates outpatient facilities in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida, as well as the KidsHealth.org website. You can find out more at www.nemours.org.

Is NHPS a treatment facility?
No. NHPS works to improve policies and practices in support of child health promotion and disease prevention. Our mission is to be a catalyst for change. NHPS emphasizes working with and through our community-based partners to reach the most children and have the greatest impact.

Does NHPS provide training?
NHPS does provide some training, especially around our 5-2-1-Almost None formula for a healthy lifestyle. It’s called Backpack Training, and it’s available throughout the year. For dates as well as many online resources, visit our 5-2-1-Almost None section.

Are you the only group in Delaware focusing on prevention?
Far from it. We have been impressed with the number of prevention efforts in the state. There are many nonprofit groups, local and state government initiatives, schools, and individual providers who do great child health promotion and disease prevention work every day. What we are trying to do is work with these various groups and individuals and, in some cases, bring them together so that there’s a more collaborative approach to achieving our shared goals.

What’s a Campaigner?
A Campaigner is anyone who wants to spread the word about living the 5-2-1-Almost None lifestyle. These are people who truly believe in our mission and want to help advocate for the cause, whether in their own home or at their child’s school, child-care center, place of worship, or doctor’s office. Visit www.makingkidshealthy.org, a website created just for Campaigners.

Do you award grants?
No, we are not a grant-making organization. We will work with others in the community to advance child health promotion projects and help them build the capacity they need to fulfill their missions of serving kids and families. Enhanced skills and greater capacity will help them to be more successful as they seek outside funding.

How will you measure your success?
Measurement is a key element of our work and we will try to evaluate all or most of our efforts to the extent possible based on our resources. Research and evaluation will support our efforts on many levels, which is why we plan to measure the impact of our programs on our partner agencies, on the parents and children whose lives we touch, and on the community in general. Through our programs and services, we expect to see positive changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and even in the environments where children and families live, work, and play. Our goal is to use evaluation to support quality improvement internally and also to add to the knowledge in the field of what works and what doesn’t. However, it’s important to note that the real impact of our work on children’s health will take years to realize.