HRSA/MCHB 2005 FEDERAL/STATE PARTNERSHIP MEETING

PUBLIC HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

Introduction and Welcome

PETER C. VAN DYCK: And it feels like it. Thanks Cassie. Welcome Dennis. It’s really, oh, the other thing I was thinking about when Cassie said, and he was a Pediatrician, and then she talked about two, spanning two centuries, I mean, have we ever thought about, do you not as you get older, do you not then take care of babies anymore and the people you continue to care for grow and grow until they get old? I don’t know. It seems like a Jerry Seinfeld program there. It’s really great to see you all. I know so many of you and recognize so many familiar faces, particularly when I put my glasses on in this second century of MCH work that’s it’s really fun to be at a meeting like this and have a chance to talk and to chat with you and hear what’s going on in your state. As those of you who were here at the session yesterday, we continue to say, come up and talk to us. Come up and see us. Come up and talk to us about what you’re doing. It does influence what really gets done and provides valuable input to us and this is a nice informal way to do it.

The theme of the meeting this year is MCH Across the Lifespan and we know that indicators of Maternal and Child Health have long been recognized as key measures of the health of the population. Public health principles tell us that a community is only as strong as its most vulnerable population. Or from a more illustrative point of view, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Public health research tells us that the health of individuals across the lifespan is most significantly impacted by our health status during critical periods in development, such as pregnancy and early childhood. We’ve known for decades that the mother’s health during pregnancy impacts birth outcomes. The long-term impact of maternal and infant health does not stop with birth outcomes though. For example, we have recently come to realize the influence of mother’s mental health on infant and child health psycho social and emotional development. And our early emotional development impacts our emotional wellbeing and resiliency throughout the rest of our lives.

Along this same line it’s important to recognize that healthy life choices such as nutrition habits, food choices, physical activity patterns developed as a child and during young adulthood, follow us through the rest of our lives. From the family developmental perspectives, the implications for MCH’s fundamental role in obesity prevention cannot be understated. And there are breakout sessions and plenary sessions throughout this meeting on some of these issues.

Our knowledge of the effectiveness of preventive public health strategies offered to women, children, and their families, tells us that the opportunities for MCH to affect the health of individuals across the lifespan are abundant. These opportunities are only limited by our failure to recognize the significance of the contributions Maternal and Child Health Prevention Services can make, can make to the health of this generation and generations to come.

I welcome you all here. Please think about the theme, MCH Across the Lifespan. It has broad implications for what we do and how we set our priorities. Think about the sessions as they’re presented. Think about how you can implement programs that relate to them and I think we’re going to have a great meeting. Thank you very much.

Now, we have a great program for you this morning and I want to introduce Dennis Williams to you. Those of you who were here last year know that Dennis was also a part of the program last year and by popular acclaim we have asked him back. Dennis was appointed Deputy Administrator for the US Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA, in July of 2002. And as HRSA’s Deputy Administrator, Dennis provides program direction and oversees the day-to-day management and operations of HRSA’s four bureaus. Primary Healthcare, the Bureau of Health Professions, HIV, AIDs Bureau and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. And then HRSA has three major offices as well. The Office of Special Programs, the Office of Rural Health Policy, and the Office of Field Operations. With HRSA's Administrator, he advises the Department’s Office of the Secretary about policy for HRSA’s programs and activities. Prior to joining HRSA, Dennis Williams served as acting Assistant Secretary in the department’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget from 2001 to 2002. Dennis has significant awards and they include the James T. Blum Award for Exceptional and Distinguished Accomplishment and Leadership in Public Budgeting, which was presented in May 2001, by the American Association for Budget and Program Analysis. In addition he has received two presidential rank awards, Distinguished Executive in the Senior Executive Service in 1997 and Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service in 1991.

Again, you’ll remember he spoke to us last year at the All Grantee Meeting, which took the place of our partnership meeting last year and really helped us in a listening session at the close of that meeting where, if you’ll remember the reports from the groups, the breakout groups, were presented for the first time and Dennis sat at the head table and collected all of those kinds of ideas that were presented and summarized them, really putting himself on the spot, but did a wonderful job and some of those comments have contributed to the follow up of this major meeting’s work and continues in sub committees as we work developing a new strategic or a modified strategic direction. So Dennis we welcome you back. Thank you.