About the School

Barnard Honored by Institute of Medicine

In recognition of her pioneering work to improve the physical and mental health outcomes of infants and young children, Dr. Kathryn Barnard has received the Gustav O. Leinhard Award from the Institute of Medicine. She shared the honors with Dr. Barry Brazelton, professor emeritus, Harvard Medical School, and author of a series of popular books on childcare and parenting.

Barnard, recently named the Spence Endowed Professor in Nursing, has devoted her career to promoting understanding of the impact of the first three years of life on a child's later physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual health. In 1971, through a contract with the U.S. Public Health Service, she developed the first empirically proven guidelines for health care workers to assess infant development and intervene with appropriate parent-child interactions. Using satellite technology, these were broadcast as a series of eight classes to nurses and other health professionals across the United States and later transmitted to 20 countries. Culturally sensitive versions of the NCAST program (Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training) have been used in Head Start Centers here and in several Pacific Rim countries.

In addition to raising public awareness of the connections between early experiences and the development of an adult's capacity to self-regulate, connect with others and experience the world, Barnard has also been instrumental in shaping public policy. A leadership role in the Governor's Commission on Early Learning led Barnard to galvanize support from the University, Governor's office, innovative practitioners, the media and parents to establish the UW Center for Infant Mental Health, a partnership between the School of Nursing and the Center for Human Development and Disabilities. Guided by the vision that every child has the right to early nurturing relationships, and the knowledge that "infants can't wait," Barnard shaped the center to promote interdisciplinary research, education and practice with families of children from birth to five.

The Gustav O. Leinhard Award honors the first chairman of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Board of Trustees. It was presented at the Institute of Medicine's annual meeting in October and includes a $25,000 cash award that will be divided between Barnard and Brazelton.

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