Since 2013, the Division of Public Health, under the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, has been funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and implement a public health framework for child maltreatment prevention. As a partner in this initiative, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) convened the Task Force on Essentials for Childhood in 2014 – 2015, which issued recommendations to stakeholders in four areas with the goal of ensuring safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments to strengthen families and prevent child maltreatment. Since 2016, the NCIOM has served as a backbone organization by coordinating aligned work across four nonprofit partners focusing on the importance of supporting children and their families.
This year, the North Carolina Essentials for Childhood initiative began its third round of funding from the CDC. In partnership with several subcontractors across the state, NCIOM will work to address health disparities, data development, and access to services for families who may need support to sustain financial stability.
In 2024, NCIOM will begin convening state stakeholders to review progress on recommendations from the 2014 – 2015 task force and conduct a series of facilitated discussions and interviews with organizations named in the recommendations. Additional experts in child well-being, adverse childhood experiences, and other topic areas discussed in the report will also be consulted.
Back to Task ForcesProject Director
Ivana Susic, MPH
Research Specialist
North Carolina Institute of Medicine
The Division of Public Health, under the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, has been funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop and implement a public health framework for child maltreatment prevention since 2013. As a partner in this initiative, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) convened the Task Force on Essentials for Childhood in 2014 – 2015, which issued recommendations to stakeholders in four areas with the goal of ensuring safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments to strengthen families and prevent child maltreatment. Since 2016, the NCIOM has served as the backbone organization to support the implementation of the 2015 task force recommendations by coordinating aligned work across subcontractors/partners, convening a series of workgroups, and participating in several other statewide initiatives to ensure that the recommendations are included in new and ongoing work. Starting in the fall of 2019, under the guidance of state child health and well-being experts, the North Carolina Essentials for Childhood initiative narrowed its strategic focus to meet two aims outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Changing social norms to prevent child maltreatment. North Carolina Essentials for Childhood is providing funding support to Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina’s awareness campaign, “Connections Matter.” Through a series of training modules, promotional strategies, and personal stories, the Connections Matter initiative aims to emphasize the importance of family and community relationships in building resilience for children impacted by trauma and other adverse childhood experiences.
Strengthening economic supports for families. North Carolina Essentials for Childhood is providing funding support to partner organizations engaged in ongoing work around the promotion and implementation of family-friendly workplace policies:
In addition, NCIOM and the Division of Public Health continue to work across state agencies, with philanthropic partners, and with local organizations to promote strategies that meet the goals of Essentials for Childhood and create safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments for North Carolina’s children and families.
Archived Materials
2021 Request for Applications: North Carolina Essentials for Childhood Partners
Work Group Meetings
Strengthening the North Carolina Child Fatality Prevention System Stakeholder Work Group
ACEs and Opioid Misuse Prevention Work Group
Evidence-based Practices Work Group
Trauma-Informed Practices Work Group
Public Awareness & Social Norms Work Group
Newsletters
Steering Committee Meetings
Other Meetings
Essentials for Childhood and Growing Up Well Reconvening and Update Meeting
Pathways Data Gaps Analysis Meeting