Child Advocacy Program
Our mission at Children's Hospital has always included advocacy for children. Since its founding in 1907, Children's has been dedicated to promoting health and safety for children.
An early example is a Children's physician who realized that impure milk was causing infant deaths. Children's helped establish the Milk Commission to remedy this preventable problem.
Children's works to improve the health of children through advocacy.
Today, Children's continues to improve the health of children and their families through advocacy.
Children's advocacy efforts are based on the documented needs of Children's patients and families, in their communities before and after their hospital stay.
In partnership with other organizations, we draw on our unique expertise in seeking to improve the health and well being of children in the region.
A Children’s Board of Trustees committee and a multidisciplinary committee of Children’s staff and faculty help guide the program.
Children's advocacy efforts fall into three major categories:
- Achieving access to quality health care for all children
- Promoting safety and healthy child development
- Meeting the health care needs of children with chronic conditions in the community
Advocacy works! Efforts made by Children's and our partner organizations have resulted in the following:
- Elimination and delay of proposed monthly premium charges for low-income children's health coverage
- Health coverage restored for 38,000 children in 2005 state legislative session
- Fewer hospitalizations for children on Medicaid
- Improved immunization rates
- Increased percentage of at-risk children accessing dental care in 12 counties
- Drownings reduced for young children