The annual County Health Rankings rate the overall health of nearly every county in the nation and show that much of what affects health occurs outside of the doctor’s office. This year, new county-level trend graphs also detail changes over time for key measures such as children living in poverty and quality of care.
In March 2013, 11 health departments became the first to receive national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board. The national program drives standards of quality and performance that focus on the best and most efficient ways to help people stay healthy.
The RWJF Roadmaps to Health Prize honors outstanding community partnerships that are helping people live healthier lives. Prize winners were chosen because of their innovative strategies for population-level changes: policy and environmental improvements that enable people to make healthier choices.
Preventing disease is one of the most common sense ways to improve health in America. But it is also a major factor for improving the economy.
More than half of all Americans currently live with one or more chronic illness, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. High rates of these diseases, which in many cases are preventable, are among the biggest drivers of U.S. health care costs and they are harming worker productivity.
Read about six examples of places around the country where employers are working with communities to provide common sense ways to make healthier choices easier for employees and their families.
Changes in federal law are prompting health departments, hospitals and community groups to work together to improve health. We summarize these changes in the policy brief, What’s New With Community Benefit?
Read the briefCollaboration between the community development and health sectors is critical and beginning to gain greater traction to improve lives.
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The right data can make all the difference in helping communities improve their health in tangible, measureable ways. Learn more about: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Public Health Systems and Services Research and Public Health Law Research.
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Policy and law can transform Americans’ health—and in a relatively short time. Learn more about: a Network of legal support, Tobacco control and Health impact assessments.
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Public health departments are being asked to help solve the nation’s most pressing health problems. How can we help them be more effective and accomplish more with less? Learn more about: Accreditation and quality improvement.
Read moreHurricane Sandy presented some of the greatest public health and emergency preparedness challenges from extreme weather in recent history, leaving dozens dead, and millions without power across a wide swath of the Northeast. This superstorm tested the capabilities of the public health system, and public health officials responded in heroic fashion. Public Health is there to help keep our communities safe and healthy before, through, and after storms like Hurricane Sandy. This series of videos explores the public health response from the state of New Jersey and Ocean County, as well as one resident's experience of the storm.
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