How Integration Became Friendship, and Friendship Became Force | When a handful of program coordinators first came together in 2019, they didn’t set out to create a movement. They simply wanted to help each other expand their programs — HealthySteps, Reach Out and Read, Community Navigation, and The Basics Guilford — into more pediatric practices.
What began as practical monthly meetings has grown into something far more powerful.
They call themselves the Pediatric Integration Team. “Our goal was straightforward,” said Pam Bacot, Senior Program Manager with Reach Out and Read. “If one program was in a clinic, we would work together to bring the others in.”
What they didn’t anticipate was the strength of the relationships they would build, relationships that have evolved from professional coordination into friendships, thought partnerships, and networks of support that multiply the impact of each program.
“We don’t just work side by side. We amplify each other,” said Natalie Tackitt, North Carolina Coordinator for the HealthySteps National Office at ZERO TO THREE. “This level of collaboration makes an incredible difference.”
Building Something Bigger
This collaboration didn’t stay small. It led to the creation of the Medical Home Advisory Team (MHAT), which brings together program champions, practice administrators, and support staff. MHAT has become the bridge between service providers and medical homes, offering insights into clinical flow, communication styles, and the realities of busy pediatric practices.
Through MHAT, the team has learned how to integrate seamlessly into medical settings, not as add-ons, but as part of the fabric of patient care.
The Role of Ready for School, Ready for Life
Behind the scenes, Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) has served as the backbone organization. They’ve handled logistics like organizing meetings, scheduling, and note-taking, but the impact has been deeper. By creating space and structure, they’ve allowed the Pediatric Integration Team’s collaboration to flourish into something no one predicted.
“MHAT became a really unique space for all of these different providers serving families,” said Danielle Deshazor-Tabb, Routes to Ready Lead at Ready Ready. They really needed a space that is just dedicated to trading information about resources for families and how to integrate these more holistic programs into the medical practice.”
“Relationships are built at the speed of trust,” says Rev. Jennifer Bailey of Faith Matters Network, “and social change happens at the speed of relationships.”
That truth is evident here. What started as colleagues trading contacts has become a rare ecosystem of mutual support and innovation. Together, these programs now reach thousands of families in Guilford County, giving children a stronger start and parents more tools to nurture them.
The beauty of the story is not only in the outcomes, but in the way it happened: through trust, shared purpose, and a belief that working together makes everyone stronger.