Emory Center for Child Health Policy
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Overview
Our Mission
The Emory Center for Child Health Policy advances the well-being of children and families through rigorous research, strategic public opinion polling, and data-driven policy engagement. Guided by the belief that investing in community-driven, evidence-based policy is key for healthier children and families, we are committed to building a more equitable and effective health care system for children by transforming clinical care and impacting legislative and regulatory action at local, state, and national levels.
Who We Are
Our interdisciplinary team of health services researchers, public health practitioners, health care providers, policy experts, and communicators shares a passion for using evidence-based research to improve the lives of children, their families, and the communities where they live and grow. We collaboratively work to generate timely evidence, inform public discourse, and train future leaders in child health policy.
What We Do
We partner with stakeholders to address urgent issues—such as maternal and child health, rural health disparities, mental health, child welfare, and substance use in pregnancy—ensuring that policy solutions are grounded in science and responsive to community priorities. Our aim is to lead the nation in improving children’s well-being through rigorous evidence-based solutions applied to policy change, public engagement, and education.
of the U.S. population is under 18 years old
of U.S. voters would vote for a candidate who supported expanding available child care
of children in Georgia diagnosed with mental or behavioral conditions are not receiving mental health services
A Message from the Director
Projects
Where We Lead
Our interdisciplinary team focuses on key research areas—including maternal and child health, rural health, and child mental health. Our team has particular expertise and interest in substance use disorder in pregnancy, neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, and child welfare. Here are a few examples of how we drive change in these areas.
The center conducts both national and statewide polling to understand public opinion on policies and issues related to child well-being with the objective to develop a cohesive national strategy for children that centers the voices and priorities of parents, communities, and voters.
Past and ongoing polling efforts include:
- Annual Tennessee Child Health Poll 2020-2024
- Annual Georgia Child Health Poll starting 2025
- National Voter Survey on Child Policy Priorities 2025
- Rollins-Gallup Public Health Priorities Survey 2025
- National Poll on the impacts of COVID-19 on children and families 2020
The center conducts innovative research that improves the well-being of children by providing evidence to inform sound policy development. Actively funded projects focus on standardizing quality measures for the clinical care of opioid-exposed newborns and understanding the impact of maternal treatment for opioid use disorder in pregnancy on mother and infant outcomes in the year after delivery. There is also ongoing work on how recent child welfare policy focused on substance-affected newborns is influencing foster care rates.
By building academic-public partnerships with local, state, and federal offices, as well as with community organizations and advocates, we aim to support the data needs of change agents working to improve child well-being.
Through diversified communication channels and strong media partnerships, we drive public discourse on issues related to child well-being and take the conversation back to communities.
We train the next generation of policy-focused researchers and practitioners focused on child well-being.
Resources
Polling Initiatives
National Polling
Our national polling initiatives focus on understanding the concerns and experiences of parents nationwide and Americans’ priorities on federal action related to child and family well-being.
This includes the following initiatives:
Georgia Child Health Poll
The annual Georgia Child Health Poll aims to understand the concerns and experiences of parents in the state of Georgia. The poll explores parental concerns as a mechanism to inform the public and policymakers of the challenges faced by children and their families.
Tennessee Child Health Poll
The Tennessee Child Health Poll was conducted annually between 2020-2024 to understand the concerns and experiences of parents in Tennessee. The poll explored parental concerns faced by children and their families. Findings include:
- 2020 release: Tennessee’s uninsured children doubled since 2019, and 2 in 5 lived with food insecurity.
- 2021 release: Mental health and disruptions to schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic were top of mind, and the number of uninsured children increased.
- 2022 release: Education and school quality was the highest priority concern for parents.
- 2023 release: Parents agreed on firearm safe storage and that education and school quality was a top concern.
- 2024 release: Education and school quality was the most commonly reported parental concern.