Public health core functions for Florida's children and youth were developed utilizing the nation's three core public health functions developed by the Institute of Medicine's Committee for the Study of the Future of Public Health. ^{(1 )}   Additionally, services for children with special health care needs was added and policy development was seen as inherent in each of the identified Florida functions.

t	Assessment – Assessment and monitoring of the health of communities and populations at risk to identify health problems and priorities
t	Policy Development – Formulating public policies, in collaboration with community and government leaders, to solve identified local and national health problems and priorities
t	Assurance – Assuring that all populations have access to appropriate and cost effective care, including health promotion and disease prevention services, and evaluation of the effectiveness of that care (Institute of Medicine, 1988)

The core functions for children and youth in Florida were developed to provide guidance and a structure for prioritizing and organizing work on a strategic plan for Florida's children and youth. Task forces for each of the four core functions were appointed and have worked collaboratively to understand the many child health efforts in the state. These task forces have guided the work on this book, which will be continually updated and used in strategic planning. The task forces worked to define strategies for public health in Florida and sought to describe how the above crucial public health functions were expressed in the state's work for children. The four core public health functions identified as an approach for improving the health of children and youth in Florida are listed below and explained in the following pages of this section.

• Education, Public Awareness, and Prevention



• Access and Utilization of Quality Health Services



• Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs



• Child Health Data and Surveillance