The Commonwealth Fund Leadership Forum in Early Childhood Health and Development

Our Mission and Goals

The Commonwealth Fund Leadership Forum in Early Childhood Health and Development supports a network of staff leaders working on Capital with a passion for issues related to children's health and development.

Issues in child health and development are prominent topics at the state level but have not been discussed in detail by Congress. The Forum provides a way to learn about and discuss children's policy options. With support from the Commonwealth Fund, participants in the Forum benefit from updates on the most current research and guidance on effective communication about children's issues.

Each year up to 25 individuals from the Senate, House, Executive Branch, Congressional Budget Office, and Congressional Research Service are selected as Forum participants. Those selected participate in the program for two years, with a new group selected annually to provide some overlap across annual cohort groups.

An Advisory Committee, composed of former staff and experts familiar with the policy making process, helped to select the fellows and to guide development of the content of the program.