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Our Mission

Through leadership and collaboration, the CHAI advances policy and systems changes to achieve health equity for all children. The CHAI operationalizes this definition and our mission to advance health equity through our five departments and four core focus areas: community engagement, data, education and policy.

Children’s National Hospital became the first pediatric hospital in the nation to form an in-house advocacy institute. The belief at the time was that in order to create an environment where children could grow up to fulfill their potential, a cohort of advocates was necessary to ensure systems and policy did not ignore the needs of the region’s smallest residents. That mission is even more important today. In 2007, Children’s National became home to the country’s first hospital-based department focused exclusively on child health advocacy, the Child Health Advocacy Institute (CHAI).

We demonstrate our commitment to children and families by investing significant resources and services through our: 

Community Benefit Program

Community Health Needs Assessment

Community Health Improvement Plan

Past Reports

Past Community Health Needs Assessments

Past Community Health Improvement Plans

happy baby smiling at provider

Community Affairs

Our team uses innovative research and evidence-based ideas to create programs that improve access to healthcare, advance medical education and much more.

happy baby smiling at provider
doctor interacts with mother holding infant

Advocacy Education

Our team provides training on health equity and social determinants of health. Learn more about how we strive to become a national model for social accountability and systemic change in pediatric health.

doctor interacts with mother holding infant
boy blowing bubbles

Child Health Data Lab

Our data scientists help CHAI monitor and track health trends among kids in D.C. Learn more about the data that informs the policies and programs we develop in our community.

boy blowing bubbles

Government Affairs

We serve as a voice for policy changes in pediatric health at the local, state and federal levels. Advocacy for children's health issues help policymakers make better decisions in our community.

mother and daughter talk

Community Mental Health

We work with healthcare providers, educators and community organizations to create evidence-based approaches that support families and improve mental health outcomes for children in our community.

mother and daughter talk