Often, our work at KYA cuts across sectors. We talk about the juvenile justice system, and we find ourselves taking into account alternative education programs. We talk about health, and we find ourselves talking about larger economic well-being issues (for an example of the latter, you can see our most recent publication on Medicaid Managed Care Programs in Kentucky).

The idea of taking two issues hand-in-hand is not a new one. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, for example, introduced an entire series of issue briefs last spring about “What Shapes Health.”  Factors examined include race and socioeconomic factors, housing, education, and income and wealth.

We think they put it well, here:

“Understanding the importance of the links between income, wealth and health can inform policies aiming to achieve better health for all Americans while reducing social disparities in health.”

As advocates and policymakers across sectors work on their issues, it’s a good reminder that an issue like health can have champions in the economic well-being world, and in the health world (not to mention social justice and education worlds). For more information on the intersection between health and economic well-being for children, read “What Shapes Healthhere. It served as a good reminder for us, and it just might do that same for you.