The early years of life set us on paths toward—or away from—good health. On Friday, July 24, 2009, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. ET, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America will host a webinar with Angela Glover Blackwell, commissioner and PolicyLink founder and CEO, and Robin Mockenhaupt, Ph.D., M.P.H., chief of staff for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, on the importance of starting early to give all children the chance to grow up healthy.

This webinar is the first in a three-part series hosted by the Commission to publicly discuss recommendations from the report released in April, Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America. The first webinar is designed for those interested in early childhood and who might be unfamiliar with the Commission and its recommendations in this area, which emphasize early childhood programs, nutritional needs and K-12 physical activity. The recommendations resulted from a year-long investigation into factors outside of the health care system that influence health and identify programs and policies from across sectors—and from across the nation—that are making a difference in the health of all Americans.