Category : Health

What does opportunity look like for Iowa children (and we are doing the right things help them thrive)?

29.11.2018 116

Iowans think our state is a good place to raise children. But does the reality live up to our reputation? To help answer this question, the Child and Family Policy Center worked in consultation with other child health advocates to develop a Child Opportunity Scorecard—a set of ten indicators that capture the broad range of what it takes to set a child up for success.

Health

Mobilizing the Political Will to Develop a Children’s Mental Health System in Iowa

03.08.2018 248

Since 2012, Iowa has been working to redesign and improve the adult mental health system, but creating a system that works for children has largely been an afterthought. There has been considerable time and energy given to TALKING about creating a children’s mental system. Yet, Iowa has lacked the political will to move beyond talk to action…until now.

For all children in Central Iowa to have equal opportunity for good health, greater attention and resources must be directed to addressing the fundamental causes of poor health for children and youth. These fundamental causes, or social determinants, of health are often largely impacted by public and private, organization, local, state and federal policies and practices.

The Mid-Iowa Health Foundation HealthConnect Fellowship strives to engage and build the capacity of key professionals working to improve social determinants of children's health, and help them grow as public policy change agents to improve children's health in central Iowa.

This HealthConnect Fellowship Blog is intended to share learnings from the Fellows and other national experts with our broader community of children's health advocates.