By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Sesame Workshop has developed new resources in partnership with Quest Diagnostics to address health inequities among children.
The new resources are part of Quest Diagnostics’ multi-year Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) charitable initiative.
“Teaming up with Sesame Workshop to support these resources will ensure children everywhere have access to health resources that they can understand,” said Q4HE director, Michael Floyd. “Supporting underserved communities is integral to our mission at Q4HE, and Sesame Workshop’s work to address the health and wellness needs of children in these communities is something we are both inspired by and humbled to be part of.”
Sesame Workshop is the non-profit educational organization behind the Sesame Street TV show. The organization’s newly-created English and Spanish language resources feature licensed characters from the Sesame Street franchise such as Elmo, Rosita, Abby, Wes, and Elijah. The resources focus on improving communication between children, caregivers, and healthcare providers through educational videos, interactive role-playing, digital storybooks, printable guides, and more.
“We’re proud to work with Quest in creating resources that empower our healthy teams with a common language that highlights the unique strengths of families and communities,” said Sesame Workshop SVP, Jeanette Betancourt. “Completing that circle of care, especially for those most marginalized communities, is essential to ensure our young ones are on track to grow and thrive.”
The new Sesame Street-themed resources will be available in English and Spanish on the official Sesame Workshop website. They are also being implemented by several of Sesame Workshop’s U.S.-based healthcare partners. These partners include the Council on Black Health, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, National Association of Community Health Centers, and The Center for Indigenous Health.
In addition, the healthcare resources and professional development tools are being distributed to community child-care providers through the Sesame Street in Communities program.
Quest Diagnostics is a clinical testing and health management company that serves approximately one in three Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the U.S.
The company’s Q4HE initiative was formed alongside its non-profit division, the Quest Diagnostics Foundation.
Q4HE provides donated testing services, educational programs and funding to initiatives working to reduce healthcare disparities in underserved communities across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.