In the Arena with NOW

From Data to Action: Community Stories Lead to Policy Change

NOW Vital Village Season 1 Episode 9

How can we use data to tell community stories and create actionable change? What is the role of narrative in advancing equitable policies that improve the health and wellbeing of children and their families? In our ninth episode, we explore these questions with Allison Bovell-Ammon and Dr. Megan Sandel of Children’s HealthWatch (CHW). Headquartered at Boston Medical Center, CHW is a nonpartisan network of pediatricians, public health researchers, and children’s health and policy experts working to improve the health and development of young children by informing policies that address and alleviate economic hardships. Through our conversation, we learn about CHW’s collaborative efforts to advocate for holistic and innovative policy solutions that are grounded in community voices and address root causes of health inequity, including their policy efforts to design pathways to stable homes and expand access to Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) benefits. Learn more about their efforts, including resources and supports for families to find safe and secure housing during COVID-19, at: https://childrenshealthwatch.org/


Guests include:

  • Allison Bovell-Ammon, Director of Policy Strategy, Children’s HealthWatch
  • Dr. Megan Sandel, Co-Lead Principal Investigator, Children’s HealthWatch
  • Host: Ronda Alexander, Director of Operations, Vital Village Network


Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing

Music By: Morgan Breland