Testimony: Department of Health 2014 Oversight Hearing

In testimony today at the oversight hearing for the Department of Health, Executive Director Judith Sandalow highlighted the need for high-quality home visiting programs in the District and the increasing necessity that city agencies collaborate to meet children and families’ needs.

The number of children in the District under age five and living in poverty, and the number of children born to mothers younger than age 21 are above the national average. Thousands of these children are at high risk of poor health and negative life outcomes. Many have been reached by home health visiting programs already in place that are making inroads because of improved interagency collaboration, but bureaucratic barriers, unpredictable funding and a lack of an ongoing evaluation process may hinder future successes.

Read the full testimony as submitted to the Council.