Child Health Task Force

In the Spring of 1999, the then Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Honorable H. David Bruton, MD, asked the NC IOM 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 Institute 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
  
  
• Identifying existing services and programs available to enhance children's health

Chaired by Samuel L. Katz, MD, The Wilburt C. Davidson Distinguished Professor and Chairman Emeritus of Pediatrics at the Duke University Medical Center; and Dean E. Smith, former Men's Head Basketball Coach for UNC-CH, the task force worked for a year to develop a comprehensive plan.

The Comprehensive Child Health Plan was published in May of 2000 as a result of the task force's work.

In 2001, a one-year review of progress was held, at which time it was evident that more than 66% of the task force recommendations had seen some level of action toward implementation, despite a tight budget year.