Cross-system collaboration and engagement of the public health model to promote the well-being of children and families

Abstract

public health model aimed at promoting children’s well-being by reducing risks in the environment and enhancing protection at the individual, family, and community levels is frequently recommended as a framework for implementing programs and policies in the nation’s child welfare, juvenile justice, mental and behavioral health, and education systems. Unfortunately, these systems of care are often inadequately equipped to advance a public health framework focused on preventive interventions and policies. This invited article addresses the need for system reform and calls for collaboration to advance prevention goals, underscoring the need to trade reactive, deficit-oriented strategies for those that are proactive, empowering, and strengths-based. Strategies to encourage social work practitioners and policymakers to become more involved in advancing prevention principles in systems of care are noted.