Health Equity
The burdens and health disparities in child injury are multifold, pressing, and diverse, based on population, geography, and cultural factors. CSN convenes diverse partners to increase coordination and synergy in child safety and develop resources that include new data and advancements and fuel the elimination of systemic and structural barriers. Our disparity data illustrate differences in health outcomes and encourage states and jurisdictions to work with communities to unpack shared risk and protective factors associated with those outcomes and take action.
In the United States, structural discrimination and inequitable access to health care has long led to worse injury and violence-related health outcomes for people from racial and ethnic minority groups, LGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities, households with lower incomes, and rural communities. Evidence of this is all around us. It includes higher rates of infant mortality for Black children and higher rates of suicide for American Indian/Alaska Native youth.
The staff of Children’s Safety Network views these inequities as a deeply rooted challenge to public health in our country. For all infants, children and adolescents to be safe and healthy, we must commit to building programs, services, and systems that are more equitable and that address the impact of historic and present discrimination and exclusion among marginalized populations.
Children’s Safety Network:
- Leads and participates on national panels and workgroups to examine the impact of racism and discrimination on public health.
- Provides technical assistance to Title V agencies on identifying inequities in access to services, adapting programs and resources for diverse populations, and advancing health equity in their communities.
- Supports Title V agencies in implementing evidence-based programs and interventions that promote child safety and wellbeing for priority populations.
The journey towards true health equity—the ability of every parent, child, and family to achieve their full health potential without discrimination or barrier—will be a long one. We are committed to achieving equity so that infants, children, and adolescents can reach their full potential.
