Our Approach

Building a future where all children thrive.

The Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities understands what it takes for children to thrive and finds new, more innovative and effective ways to make that possible. Working across multiple disciplines to recognize what works best, we never forget that behind every data point, there’s a child. For over 25 years, we’ve come to better comprehend systemic issues, re-imagining what’s possible, and developing groundbreaking approaches that reduce disparities and empower community leaders and partners to bring about lasting, positive change for children and families.

Led by founding Director, Neal Halfon, MD MPH, the Center has assembled an outstanding team of faculty and staff who bring diverse and tested talents, as well as a wide range of disciplines and perspectives to the Center’s work. Housed at UCLA, one of the preeminent research universities in the world, the Center’s transdisciplinary approach is critical to solving the complex and entrenched problems faced by children and families.

We understand that solving complex problems demands thinking that’s deep, wide and inclusive of those closest to the problem. We’ve reimagined cities and communities as engines for activism, innovation and positive change. The Life Course Health Development approach – incubated at the Center over the past two decades – has informed the design of our work, and has had an impact nationally and internationally on the way health is conceptualized and health systems are organized. The national Life Course Intervention Research Network, led by the Center, is currently advancing innovative approaches to improving children’s lifelong trajectories. Our program, Data Informed Futures, offers unique, neighborhood-level data and mapping tools that reveal geographic patterns of disparity and resilience in children’s health and well-being. With the Futures Team’s analytics, support and guidance, communities can build a roadmap for local action, and support local leaders to make data-informed decisions to reduce inequities and improve outcomes for children. Our research, training, innovative initiatives and “big picture” approach never lose sight of our mission: to reduce disparities in child outcomes and improve the lifelong health, development and well-being of children and youth.

We are a transdisciplinary cross-pollinator and field-builder, and we are always looking to expand and include diverse knowledge, expertise and perspectives.

We understand that children’s health is about much more than doctors’ visits. The problems we address are complex in nature, which is why we employ a variety of holistic, multi-faceted approaches to solving them. This enables us to see the big picture, encompassing not just the actors on the field, but all related fields, systems and movements that can offer new and unexpected partnerships and solutions. Thus, we work to build the field as we work to drive innovative approaches to children’s health and well-being at scale, attract others to solving important problems with us, and shine a light on systemic issues. We approach problem-solving through inclusive decision-making and seek to empower stakeholders such as community leaders and partners who are closest to the problem.

We also know that collaboration accelerates innovation. To foster trans-disciplinary cross-pollination, our faculty, staff, students, community, family and youth partners meet with visiting national and international experts, colleagues from non-profits and academia, and visiting scholars and trainees from multiple disciplines to exchange ideas and to create and innovate in the field of child health and development. The Center serves as the National Coordinating Center for the Life Course Translational Research Network (LCT-RN), a national network of over 75 life course researchers with a broader network of more than 2000 members. The LCT-RN supports researchers identifying opportunities for developing, implementing and evaluating new interventions to optimize children’s health development trajectories.