Task Force for Developing a Comprehensive Child Health Plan

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 chapters of this report summarize 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.
Full Report | Executive Summary
Co-Chairs
Samuel L. Katz, MD
Wilburt C. Davison Professor and Chairman Emeritus
Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center
Dean E. Smith
Former Head Coach, Men
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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 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 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.
    No meetings scheduled.