Health programs offer many benefits, including prevention of disease and improving the health of populations. They can be designed to improve the health of the whole community or to target subgroups. Universal programs address the health of the whole population; selective programs are designed to target certain populations based on specific risks. Selective programs aim to improve health outcomes in specific subgroups based on biological factors or imminent risk. Moreover, community health programs are important for promoting good nutrition and weight management.
Complex care programs may include multidisciplinary teams, such as those focused on cerebral palsy. For example, a pediatric oncologist may be part of a team that includes an orthopedic surgeon, physiatrist, neurologist, and developmental pediatrician. The structure of such programs is dependent on local needs and resources, but in larger metropolitan areas, pediatric oncology is a key focus. However, such programs are limited in rural communities, which may lack the expertise and resources necessary to offer high-quality care to all children.
Federal government-funded health programs are a crucial part of improving health outcomes for children. These programs support public health insurance and foster cross-disciplinary training and research. The committee concludes by discussing the development of health care programs for children with disabilities. It also includes examples of promising programs, including their goals, service methods, evidence supporting their effectiveness, and marketing. The chapter includes examples of promising programs that address the unique needs of children with disabilities. It also includes a discussion of the challenges and solutions faced by families and children with disabilities in the health care system.
In addition to addressing community-based health programs, American Medical Association and APHA have partnered to develop a common research agenda for public health. Towards this goal, the American Medical Association and APHA have established seven goals to improve community health programs. These goals include transforming academic health center attitudes, creating interdisciplinary teams, and integrating health promotion into clinical settings. Further, the American Medical Association aims to create an “Integrated Public Health Initiative” to help people achieve optimum health.
Health care integration also improves health outcomes. Integrated health care programs show higher improvements in diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and plasma glucose. Additionally, people who were enrolled in an integrated health care program were more likely to stop smoking than those who did not. However, the association between integration and behavioral health outcomes is not clear. Neither group of sites had significant differences in functioning indicators. Thus, integrated health care programs are beneficial for promoting the health of both people with mental illnesses and those who would not otherwise receive the care.
The US Department of Health and Human Services requires states to list quality measures in their CHIP programs. Outcomes of these measures are reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Quality measures must include data on access to primary care, specialty care, and care coordination activities. Children with special health care needs require special communications and education. Although young children may see health impairments as magical, pre-adolescents can comprehend multiple causes of disease and differing responses to treatment.