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Abstract
Multidisciplinary infant stimulation programs for native Indian children and their parents in North America have been developed in response to serious health, educational and social conditions. The common characteristics of the programs typically include local initiation and development in response to local needs, a preventive rather than compensatory focus, multidisciplinary content, use of para-professional staff, and the active involvement of parents and community elders. The implications of these programs and their development for policy-making and early childhood program planning are discussed in terms of the use of community initiation and involvement, the problem of conflicting administrative jurisdiction, the need for adequate funding, the difficulty in disseminating information about the programs, and the nature and role of evaluation. Locally-initiated multidisciplinary programs for Native Indian children are one option for fostering the optimal development of children in their earliest years.