NICHQ's Areas of Focus
NICHQ's vision is for “all children to achieve their optimal health.” We believe for this to occur requires four things:
1. Better INFANT HEALTH
First, we need to make sure children get off to a healthy start. So we work to improve infant health by reducing infant mortality, ensuring appropriate follow-up after infant screening, and improving maternity practice to promote breastfeeding.
2. PATIENT-CENTERED CARE for all children and families
Next, we want to ensure that an effective healthcare system addresses the needs of all children. So we work with practitioners to redesign care in the patient-centered medical home concept.
3. Effective care for children and youth with SPECIAL HEALTHCARE NEEDS
Our healthcare system must also effectively meet the needs of all chronically ill children. So we work to improve care for children with special healthcare needs resulting from conditions such as autism, sickle cell disease, hearing loss, ADHD and asthma.
4. Improved support for HEALTHY LIVING
Recognizing that much of a child’s health is determined outside the healthcare system, we want to improve healthy living practices, policies and conditions. So we are working to improve prevention and treatment for obesity, one of the most challenging public health issues of our time.
All of NICHQ's work is organized around this framework. To learn more about our projects in each of these areas, please click here.
