1 - The Center’s approach is distinctive by focusing on the nexus between policy and childhood disease and health.

Child health policy has traditionally been separated from expertise in child disease and health care delivery.  This disconnect results in the inability to address serious issues related to complex, chronic, specialized, and high acuity child illness – the most devastating and costly areas of child health care.  The Center for Child Health & Policy at Rainbow brings together experts in child illness and health, health care delivery, and policy and combines their knowledge and skills to provide informed analyses, research, and education on major child health policy issues.  The Center addresses how policy impacts clinical and management decisions and how these, in turn, influence policy.


2 - Rainbow’s tradition is to be at the frontier of health care delivery to children, child health research, and teaching.

Building on great expertise in child disease and health at Rainbow – a children’s hospital consistently rated among the top ten nationwide (5th best in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report, September 2008) – and outstanding institutional strengths in child research, professional education, health financing, and health law, the Center for Child Health & Policy at Rainbow is in a unique position to make major contributions to child health policy on a local and national level.


3 - The Center acts as a think tank

The Center acts as a think tank – providing capability, infrastructure, and focus – while building on both institutional strengths and interdisciplinary partnerships.  We are a resource for children’s advocates, legislators and policymakers, health professionals, and the media.