America’s Children Are in Crisis. Your Public Health Team Can Lead the Comeback
- JoAnn Andrews
- May 23
- 3 min read
The Wake-Up Call Every Health Leader Must Heed
In May 2025, the White House released the groundbreaking Make Our Children Healthy Again (MAHA) Assessment. The message is clear: America’s children are in a full-scale health crisis. Chronic disease, chemical exposure, digital dependence, and overmedicalization are creating a generation burdened by preventable conditions.
But here’s the truth most national headlines won’t tell you:
Your local public health team has the power to lead the comeback.
As a public health leader, your next decisions could shape the future of your county for decades. This is your opportunity to respond with clarity, credibility, and solutions that attract funding while protecting the health of future generations.
The Crisis by the Numbers
According to the MAHA report:
40% of American children now have at least one chronic condition.
Teen suicide is the #2 cause of death in ages 15–19.
Over 70% of children’s daily calories come from ultra-processed foods.
Prescription rates for children have surged 250%+ in the past two decades.
The link to economic strain is undeniable:
75% of young adults are ineligible for military service, mainly due to obesity or mental health.
The U.S. spends double per capita on healthcare compared to peers, with worse outcomes.
Why It Matters to Your Health Department
The MAHA Assessment isn’t just a federal document—it’s a national directive.
And it’s arriving just as counties face increasing scrutiny from the Department of Government Oversight and Evaluation (DOGE) and other federal agencies. New grant requirements, audit protocols, and performance-based reporting from HHS, CDC, and state DOHs are placing unprecedented pressure on local departments to demonstrate:
Community-level health planning (via CHNAs and CHIPs)
Alignment with Healthy People 2030 and MAPP 2.0
ROI-based justification for prevention-focused investment
If you haven’t begun your CHNA or CHIP cycle, now is the time.
“The counties that act now will be first in line for grants, first in line for partnerships, and first in line to lead.”
Your Team is the Hero. Let Us Be the Guide.
Ascendant Healthcare Partners (AHP) is the leading national expert in CHNA and CHIP development with:
A two-decade track record
Designation as a Healthy People 2030 Champion
Membership with NACCHO and leadership on MAPP 2.0 alignment
A history of guiding 50+ counties to full compliance, funding, and success
What makes us different?
CHNA Express: 45-day rapid-start service to meet July 1 fiscal deadlines
Cost to the Community Analysis™: Quantifies preventable disease burden in dollar terms
ROI-Based Reporting: Converts public health planning into funding justification
Narrative + Data: We combine rigorous analytics with clear messaging that moves policy
We don’t just deliver a plan. We help your agency become a model for what’s possible.
The July 1 Deadline is Real
Most counties operate on a July 1–June 30 fiscal year. To position your agency competitively, your proposal must be submitted now so services can begin in Q1 of the new fiscal year.
Waiting until fall could mean missing key grant windows, delaying partner buy-in, and falling behind in compliance.
This is Bigger Than a Report. It’s a Movement.
The MAHA assessment has cracked open the national conversation. You now have:
The data to validate your next CHNA
The mandate to act upstream
The funding pressure to build plans that show return
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