"Let's renew efforts to grow connections between education and health - two of life's natural allies - and help fulfill the promise that is born in every child."

--Joan Lombardi, Ph.D.

It is summer, the sun is shining, and everywhere we turn there are signs of families getting outside and enjoying our beautiful state. Libraries and summer reading programs are highlighting the need to support children and families during the summer, so that exercising the body is paired with activities to exercise the brain. In Seattle, building cranes seem to be everywhere, signs of booming growth. On the surface, all might seem to be well.

But scratch just a little deeper and we find that far too many families are facing economic hardship, leaving kids behind. The 2015 KIDS COUNT Data Book  was released last week, showing that Washington ranks 19th overall in four domains of child well-being: education, health, family and community, and economic well-being. The Children's Alliance highlighted key findings. There are now 78,000 more children living in poverty than there were in 2008, at the start of the great recession. Disparities in well-being by race are significant. Kids of color are up to 30% less likely than their peers to be enrolled in preschool. But there is some good news in child health: the share of children who have no health coverage in Washington has declined from 8% in 2008 to 6% in 2013.

The social determinants of health are also the social determinants of education. So child and family circumstances that predict good (or poor) health also predict good (or poor) outcomes in education. The latest data supports the need for a comprehensive approach to supporting young children and families that includes both health and education. This month we share a few examples of current work at this intersection:

1)      Legislative investments at the intersection of health and
          early learning

2)      A book chapter on early learning health connections

3)      An event highlighting actions in primary care to address ACES

Reach Out and Read supports both health and education--using the health care setting to leverage educational (and whole child) outcomes. With 94% of children having health insurance in Washington, nearly every family can be reached through the health care system, providing a way to rapidly increase educational supports to families across diverse cultures. Recent momentum primes Washington to leverage education and health together-- the natural allies that Dr. Lombardi describes. The real opportunity to reduce the opportunity gap will build on successes in health care access and leverage investments in early learning at the same time. Read on to learn more!