When many of us think about children’s health, we picture this scenario: a child isn’t feeling well, a family member brings them in, a doctor cares for the child, and everyone goes home hoping the problem is solved.
But here’s the truth. A child’s health is shaped by way more than what happens inside a doctor’s office.
In fact, the majority of what affects a child’s health is what surrounds them every day: access to healthy food, financial stability, stable housing, transportation, a safe neighborhood, and an environment that supports well-being.
That’s where The Collective for Community Health at Children’s Minnesota comes in. It’s charged with improving kids’ health inside and outside the doctor’s office. With that, I’m pleased to introduce the Collective’s new leader, Alexis Kochanski. I’ve asked Alexis to share why the Collective’s work matters so much, and why it’s so personal for her.
Alexis Kochanski in her own words
I’m a mom of three, and like so many families, I’ve relied on Children’s Minnesota in those moments that make a parent’s heart race, like a late-night fever that won’t break or repeat clinic visits where I hear “it’s just a virus” but I’m worried it’s something more. I know firsthand the compassion and excellence of Children’s Minnesota. It is an incredible resource for families across our state. In my new role, I feel a deep responsibility, and genuine excitement, to help ensure we remain strong, sustainable and worthy of our community’s trust.
What the Collective for Community Health is
The Collective for Community Health is how Children’s Minnesota shows up as a partner and leader in our community, working alongside families and community organizations to improve health in a holistic way, not just through visits to the doctor’s office.
The Collective listens to and aligns with community priorities so we can focus on what kids and families need most. A key tool that helps us do this is the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). We’ve just released the latest one, and it’s more than just a report. It’s a structured way we ask parents, caregivers, young people and community organizations critical questions like:
- What are the most pressing health needs facing children and families in the communities we serve?
- What community strengths can we build on?
- How should we at Children’s Minnesota focus our time, partnerships and resources to have the greatest impact?
The CHNA is how we hold ourselves accountable. It helps us measure whether we’re making a difference and how we can use this information to better improve our understanding of what the community needs. It’s more than just delivering services.
How we do it: listening and earning trust
When people talk about community engagement, it can sometimes sound like the community is “over there” and we’re reaching out from a distance.
That’s not how we approach this work.
We start by getting out of our office, meeting people where they are, and spending time where families live, work, learn, worship and gather. We listen to families’ lived experiences and to community partners who have deep knowledge of local realities. And we listen in a way that communicates respect, curiosity, humility and the understanding that we don’t have all the answers.
Trust is built through presence and it’s sustained by following up. Communities have every reason to be cautious when they’re asked to share their stories and priorities. One of the most important commitments we can make is that after we ask, we act.
The next step
Once we understand what families are experiencing and what partners are seeing on the ground, we can align our strategies to support children and families in ways that complement the excellent care Children’s Minnesota provides every day. That may include partnering to strengthen access to basic resources, supporting safe environments or addressing barriers that keep families from getting care when they need it.
Then comes the part that matters just as much as planning, measuring impact.
How will we ensure we’re making a real difference? By tracking progress, learning what’s working, adjusting what isn’t, and staying accountable to the community’s priorities. Trust grows when families and partners can see that their voice leads to action, and that action leads to better health.
Looking ahead
One of the things I’m most excited about in my new role is spending time in the community – learning from and listening to the families and children we serve – and deepening partnerships with the organizations that are already doing incredible work every day.
I’m also looking forward to building relationships with our exceptional clinicians across our health system, whose life‑saving work across a wide range of specialties truly sets Children’s Minnesota apart as our region’s trusted kid experts.
I’m grateful to serve in this role and to be part of an organization so deeply committed to community engagement. I plan to approach this work with humility, a dedication to earning trust, a focus on strengthening partnerships, and a shared commitment to raising the bar for better health outcomes for all children and families.
James Burroughs
Senior vice president, government and community relations, chief equity and inclusion officer
James Burroughs joined Children’s Minnesota as its first chief equity and inclusion officer in 2019. He is responsible for advancing equity and inclusion in all parts of the organization.
Follow James on LinkedIn.
