Adults create the conditions in which children can be successful - Minnesota

Author, Ed Ehlinger, M.D., M.S.P.H., is the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health.

"Since it's difficult for children to speak for themselves, they need advocates to make the case that, if we want children to succeed, we need policies that:

• rebalance our investment in treatment and prevention because children lose when almost all of our health care resources go into treatment;
• effectively integrate clinical care, public health, social service, and education because children need this broad array of services;
• focus on upstream needs like preconception activities, prenatal to 3, and prevention of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) knowing that early intervention provides the biggest benefit to children and society;
• look beyond short-term return on investment (ROI) because the return on our investment in children will be realized in a 10 – 90 year perspective; and
• address disparities and equity because the current population of children is more diverse than ever and exquisitely sensitive to the social determinants of health that create inequities in all outcomes...."

http://www.commissionerblog.health.state.mn.us/2013/06/adults-create-conditions-in-which.html