Opening Remarks: An Overview of the Problem

It is a pleasure to be here this morning and to give you some opening comments about what is obviously a very important issue and one that I think does require the involvement of a multitude of different persons from public policy, public health, law and other fields. As I look at the Conference program, however, I feel a little bit uneasy with my assignment since those of us in Foundations are quintessential consultants; we are not really out on the front line doing anything, but are instead providing advice, assistance, counseling, and sometimes money, to those who are out there. That description of the role of a consultant reminds me of a story that really tells you what a consultant is