For children 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 and in turn, the health determinants of early school success 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.
The HealthConnect Fellowship is designed to set aside space for experienced children’s health advocates to rethink how to address challenging barriers to, and disparities among, children’s health. We will hear from Suzanne Mineck, President of the Mid-Iowa Health Foundation and from HealthConnect fellows who are actively leading a range of system change work, including advocating for legislation that recently passed to create a children’s mental health system in Iowa.
Speakers:
Suzanne Mineck, President, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation
HealthConnect Fellows
• Mary Nelle Trefz: Health Policy Associate, Child and Family Policy Center
• Lisa Cushatt: Program Manager, Central Iowa ACEs 360
• Becky Miles-Polka: President Within Reach Consulting and Senior Consultant, Campaign for Grade-Level Reading