Obama Administration releases National Prevention Strategy
Last Thursday, the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council released the National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy, a comprehensive plan that will help increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life.
“This National Prevention Strategy, called for under the Affordable Care Act, will help us transform our health care system away from a focus on sickness and disease to a focus on prevention and wellness. We know that prevention helps people live long and productive lives and can help combat rising healthcare costs,” said Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement. Sebelius is on the council, which is composed of members representing 17 federal agencies.
“As a family physician, I understand the importance of stopping disease before it starts,” added Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, chair of the council. “The leadership of this council and the strategy will help us create a healthy and fit nation by making prevention a part of our daily lives.”
[See also: HHS announces $750M for disease prevention.]
The National Prevention Strategy includes actions that public and private partners can take to help Americans stay healthy and fit and improve our nation’s prosperity. The strategy outlines four strategic directions that, together, are fundamental to improving the nation’s health:
• Building Healthy and Safe Community Environments: Prevention of disease starts in our communities and at home; not just in the doctor’s office.
• Expanding Quality Preventive Services in Both Clinical and Community Settings: When people receive preventive care, such as immunizations and cancer screenings, they have better health and lower healthcare costs.
• Empowering People to Make Healthy Choices: When people have access to actionable and easy-to-understand information and resources, they are empowered to make healthier choices.
• Eliminating Health Disparities: By eliminating disparities in achieving and maintaining health, we can help improve quality of life for all Americans.
[See Also: HHS announces $250M investment to promote public health and wellness.]
On the same day, HHS announced more than $4 million is available for national networks of community-based organizations through its Community Transformation Grants (CTGs) program. The new funding opportunity will help community-based organizations support, disseminate, and amplify the evidence-based strategies that are the foundation of the grant program.
Last month, HHS announced availability of more than $100 million in first year funding for CTGs, aimed at empowering communities to implement projects proven to reduce chronic diseases – such as diabetes and heart disease.
