Building a Thriving Nation: 21st-Century Vision and Practice to Advance Health and Equity

It is a great time for prevention. As the United States explores what health in our country should look like, it is an extraordinary time to highlight the role of prevention in improving health, saving lives, and saving money. The Affordable Care Act's investment in prevention has spurred innovation by communities and states to keep people healthy and safe "in the first place." This includes growing awareness that community conditions are critical in determining health and that there is now a strong track record of prevention success. Community prevention strategies create lasting changes by addressing specific policies and practices in the environments and institutions that shape our lives and our health--from schools and workplaces to neighborhoods and government. Action at the community level also fosters health equity--the opportunity for every person to achieve optimal health regardless of identity, neighborhood, ability, or social status--and is often the impetus for national-level decisions that vitally shape the well-being of individuals and populations.