Bernadette Melnyk, PhD, RN, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, was part of an expert panel during a recent workshop aimed at exploring how healthcare reform can serve to promote children’s behavioral health.
Opportunities to Promote Children’s Behavioral Health: Health Care Reform and Beyond was held April 1-2 in Washington, D.C. The event was hosted by the Forum on Promoting Children’s Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Health – part of the Institute of Medicine. Melnyk, associate vice president for health promotion, university chief wellness officer and dean of the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University, was elected to the Institute of Medicine in 2013.
The Affordable Care Act has brought attention to health promotion, prevention and access to evidence-based care. These principles are especially important during childhood, when the foundation is laid for lifelong health and well-being. This workshop explores how healthcare reform can provide opportunities and support innovations to promote children’s behavioral health and sustain them over time. Funding streams, intermediary organizations and innovative programs and services will be considered. The workshop format is designed to stimulate discussion among experts, forum members and the audience and to enhance future collaborations.
