Programming and policy activities
The hospital's program and policy activities are prioritized
by a multi-disciplinary Child Advocacy Advisory Committee (CAAC) that operates
under the aegis of the Office of Child Advocacy. The CAAC prioritizes
issues that engage the hospital in strategic community partnerships and
legislative initiatives that strengthen health and social outcomes of children and youth. We do so by using
data-driven approaches that identify leading risk factors to children and youth;
geo-mapping areas where these risks are most prevalent; identifying legislative and regulatory opportunities; and evaluating outcomes
of our program and policy interventions. Prevention and health promotion are the
emphasis of program and policy activities selected by the CAAC for intervention.
All initiatives conducted through the Office of Child Advocacy are funded
philanthropically.
Our approach is to identify issues affecting child health and
well-being — clinical, behavioral, and social — where our medical
center expertise can make an incremental difference in improving
children's lives. Through research, education and intervention, we provide resources to families, community-based organizations, regulatory agencies, elected leaders
and other stakeholders to help our children grow up healthy and
strong.
The Office of Child
Advocacy serves as a catalyst for launching and evaluating multiple program and
policy activities. Programs that are
shown to have impact are then expanded and typically integrated into
institutional “homes” throughout the medical center to augment and amplify
their impact. The Office of Child
Advocacy and Child Advocacy Advisory Committee provide continued collaboration
and consultation; and in certain cases, continues to spearhead certain activities.
In this way, new initiatives can be undertaken to respond to new and emerging
issues that evolve over time.
A summary of program and policy initiates launched through or
in collaboration with the Office of Child Advocacy is described in the pages in the left menu.