Former Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Honorable H. David Bruton, MD, asked the NCIOM to convene a statewide task force to assist the DHHS in formulating a comprehensive child health plan to ensure that all children reach their maximum health potential. The NCIOM Comprehensive Child Health Task Force conducted a thorough examination of a broad spectrum of issues affecting the health status and health care available to North Carolina’s infants, young children, and adolescents. The task force's findings are presented in its report.
Back to Task ForcesCo-Chairs
Samuel L. Katz, MD
Wilburt C. Davidson Professor and Chairman Emeritus
Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center
Dean E. Smith
Former Head Coach, Men's Basketball
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The NCIOM was charged with identifying and/or setting measurable health status goals for North Carolina children; determining how well North Carolina’s children already meet these goals and identifying areas that lack data for measuring child health status in our state; and identifying existing services and programs available to enhance children’s health.
The task force’s report summarizes the problems that currently exist, the range of current programs addressing these issues, and the gaps that exist in terms of coverage and the effectiveness of existing programs. In addition, the Task Force identified additional efforts that are needed to ensure that all children reach their maximum health and developmental potential.