A January 2026 case study from The Bridgespan Group highlights Arkansas as a national example of what’s possible when health care, philanthropy, and public policy work together to support families.
The study lifts up HealthySteps in Arkansas as a model for embedding preventive, relationship-based support in pediatric care and underscores how partners across multiple sectors helped pave the way for Act 513 of 2023, enabling Medicaid reimbursement and long-term sustainability.
In 2022, Excel by Eight, together with Arkansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Arkansas Children’s Care Network, launched HealthySteps at seven sites. Its implementation has resulted in measurable statewide impact:
- 27,171 children ages 0–3 reached through HealthySteps sites statewide
- 4,200+ referrals for maternal depression, food insecurity, and other family supports
- 218% estimated return for every Medicaid dollar invested
These partners, together with UAMS and the HealthySteps National Office, continue to work on expanding the model to new sites across Arkansas.
