JACKSONVILLE, FL This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Partnership for Child Health (Partnership),a Jacksonville-based non-profit providing integrated health, justice, and trauma-informed services and systems of care for children, youth and families.  During its lifetime, the Partnership has served tens of thousands of children and families.  Over the past decade, it has distributed nearly $60 million in funding to community-based organizations— generated through public and private sector grants and contracts.  Grounded in the standards and norms of children’s rights, the Partnership has adhered to the principle that every child, without discrimination, has the right to optimal health and well-being, to be heard and listened to, and to thrive in families that have the capacity to meet the needs of their children.

Since its inception, the Partnership has been driven by a commitment to innovation and collaboration in the domains of clinical care, systems development, policy generation, education and research.  It has catalyzed and sustained more than 50 initiatives over the decades, developed numerous models of national and international distinction, and has been recognized for its contributions to novel approaches to child health and well-being—nationally and internationally. Innovations cross the spectrum from new approaches to the Medical Home, Transition Medicine, expanding access to mental health and trauma-informed care, and Cleft and Craniofacial services—to multiple juvenile justice, restorative justice, gang intervention, and other endeavors related to the holistic health and well-being of youth—in particular, marginalized and vulnerated children and youth.  All of these efforts have and continue to rest on the foundation of collaboration and a child rights-based approach to children’s health and development.

“For thirty years, our community has convened the partners and generated the funding necessary to develop and implement innovative services and systems of care to address the holistic needs and rights of children and families throughout our region,” said Jeffrey Goldhagen, M.D., Medical Director for the Partnership. “Under the leadership of the Partnership Board, and with the commitment of our partners, we are addressing the physical and mental health and social challenges so profoundly impacting the health and well-being of children throughout Northeast Florida. We’re very proud of what we and our partners have accomplished.”

As an example of the Partnership’s work, in collaboration with the Kids Hope Alliance and multiple community mental health organizations, the Partnership has received 9 million dollars in funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to address children’s mental health challenges.  “Initially, our success came from developing a mental health system of care in collaboration with a governing board of child serving agencies, Kids Hope Alliance and community partners,” said Vicki Waytowich, Ed.D., Executive Director. “Guided by data and research, we have expanded our services areas across the city to serve the health zones and communities that have needed our resources the most. The results have been transforming for the families we serve— from direct service for justice-involved youth to supporting families who have experienced trauma. We know our work is far from done, however, together we have made tremendous progress to advance the health and well-being of the families we serve.”