Our homes and our communities have enormous impact on our health. Simple components in our communities—such as sidewalks, a local grocery store or lead-free housing—can make a major difference in Americans’ lives and well-being. On Tuesday, August 4, 2009 from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America will host a webinar with commissioners Dennis Rivera and Gail L. Warden, and David R. Williams, staff director, on the importance of improving the places where we live, learn, work and play to promote good health.

This webinar is the second 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 second webinar is designed for those interested in creating healthy environments and who might be unfamiliar with the Commission and its recommendations in this area, which aim to create healthier homes and communities by improving the built environment and integrating safety and wellness into all aspects of the community. 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.