Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam this week released a report highlighting eight years of progress by the state to improve the lives of children and families. Prioritizing Tennessee’s Children: Our Promise to Future Generations reflects an early commitment by Governor Bill Haslam’s administration to make the health and success of all Tennessee children a state priority.

In conjunction with Governor Haslam’s Children’s Cabinet and Deputy Governor Jim Henry, First Lady Haslam set out to create a tangible summary of the progress made in state government to holistically support the development of children and families during her husband’s tenure. Beginning with the formation of the Children’s Cabinet, the report tells the story of departments and organizations engaging in inter-agency collaboration to focus on creating positive outcomes for the state’s youngest citizens, from birth to workforce entry and beyond. It describes efforts to apply proactive, wellness-focused approaches to preventing and mitigating the effects of childhood trauma and acknowledges the work of the ACE Awareness Foundation. Based in Memphis, the foundation is dedicated to increasing public understanding of childhood trauma and identifying and supporting innovative strategies that prevent toxic stress or lessen its effects on children and their families.

In a statement released with the report, First Lady Haslam declared, “It is crucial to recognize how far we have come as a state in protecting and prioritizing our children and families, so that we might understand the importance of this work and capitalize on our momentum moving forward.”

The report can be viewed and downloaded on First Lady Haslam’s website at: https://tn.gov/firstlady/prior...children-report.html