Forum for Children’s Well-Being: Promoting Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health for Children and Youth
The Forum for Children's Well-Being aims to inform a forward-looking agenda for building a stronger research and practice base around the development and implementation of effective and equitable programs, practices, and policies to promote cognitive, affective, and behavioral health for all children, adolescents, and emerging adults.
The Forum was established in response to recommendations from the 2009 NRC/IOM report Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities. The Forum continues to find guidance from the 2019 National Academies report Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development in Children and Youth: A National Agenda.
In progress
Any project, supported or not by a committee, that is currently being worked on or is considered active, and will have an end date.
"We champion scientific advancements in child and youth mental, emotional, and behavioral health with the goal of creating scalable and sustainable impact."
The Forum convenes national leaders across sectors to catalyze evidence- and practice-based action at the intersections of mental, emotional, behavioral, and whole-child health. We provide a neutral, trusted space where stakeholders—from public and private sectors and across issue areas—can collaborate to drive systems-level change.
Engaging youth and families as partners and experts is foundational to our work. Their insights shape everything we do—from setting priorities to co-developing convenings and informing our publications. Through coalition-building and knowledge-sharing, we equip decision-makers with the insights, networks, and evidence needed to advance policies, programs, and practices that improve children’s lives and strengthen communities nationwide.
Our work is guided by a distinguished group of members, all recognized leaders in their fields. Together, they bring deep expertise in health systems leadership, community partnerships, mental health, systems change, and health policy, among others. Our members understand both the evidence behind health interventions and the complexities of scaling them in real-world settings.
Because child and youth well-being are shaped by many factors, we actively engage leaders from a variety of fields—including education, agriculture, the military, and private industry—to foster cross-sector collaboration. The forum provides a dynamic convening space where decision-makers, thought leaders, researchers, practitioners, and youth leaders exchange knowledge and drive meaningful change. View committee.
In regular members-only meetings, leaders share organizational innovations, exchange insights, and engage in problem-solving—contributing expertise and bringing new strategies back to their institutions. Members also shape the forum's direction by selecting priority topics and identifying key audiences for broader convenings.
We host public summits that bring together leaders from across sectors. These convenings create opportunities to build trust across divides, foster alignment around shared goals, and catalyze new partnerships that help translate evidence into practice. Each summit produces proceedings that serves as a blueprint for action, capturing key insights and strategies for implementing evidence-based solutions. To learn more, view our publications and our events.
Forum sponsors gain unique opportunities to shape the future of children's well-being while strengthening their own organizations. As a partner, you'll have access to National Academies expertise, participate in strategic leadership discussions, engage with influential youth leaders, and join a powerful cross-sector network of changemakers. By investing in the Forum, you position your organization at the forefront of evidence-based innovation while contributing to lasting positive change for all children and youth.
Contact Molly Dorries:
Description
The Board on Children, Youth, and Families will establish a Forum for Children's Well-being: Promoting Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health for Children and Youth. The Forum strives to advance effective, affordable, and equitable systems that promote well-being and foster evidence-informed prevention, treatment, and implementation research and practice. It will bring together diverse stakeholders including scientists, practitioners, decision makers, thought leaders, and youth and family representatives. The Forum will consider all settings where children, adolescents, and emerging adults are seen and cared for, including primary health care, schools, preschools and child care, social service and child welfare, juvenile justice, family court, military, and community based organizations.
Collaborators
Sponsors
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Psychological Association
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Children’s Hospital Association
Family Voices
Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice
Health Resources and Services Administration
Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice
Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
Staff
Molly Checksfield Dorries
Lead
Anthony Mann
Major units and sub-units
Center for Health, People, and Places
Lead
Social and Economic Systems Program Area
Lead