Health reform has passed and prevention funding is a reality, but we can't stop pushing to make sure it's a success, too.
The health reform bill includes approximately $15 billion to expand and sustain national investment in prevention and public health programs over the next ten years. Our goal is to ensure that the implementation reaches communities across the country to fund community prevention and keep people healthy.
We know what works to improve health, and there is an unprecedented opportunity right now to build the evidence base and make our efforts even stronger. Here's how:
- Focus on equity, making sure that resources go not just to communities who can quickly and effectively put prevention in place, but also to assist those communities who need extra support for planning and implementation.
- Make the case for community prevention even richer, by supporting research and evaluation efforts that identify what works.
- Build cross-sector and cross-issue partnerships.
- Make health a priority in all of our policies and all of our work.
Tools for advocates
- Prevention Institute has created a Health Reform Rapid Response Network to keep you up to date on the latest coverage of prevention and health reform. Sign up now!
- Sign on to the 'Principles for Quality Prevention in Health Reform' a shared set of principles that aims to ensure the highest quality in our national prevention efforts.
- What Role can Health Impact Assessment Play in the National Health Reform Initiative? Read our Testimony to the National Research Council Committee on Health Impact Assessment.
- Find the contact information for your elected officials.
- Where is community prevention in health reform: A Quick Guide
- Talking points to use in meetings, calls and letters
- Sample letter in support of comprehensive health reform: Prevention Institute's letter to leaders in the Senate
- Read letters to Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius and joint recommendations for health reform's Prevention and Public Health Fund, by The Convergence Partnership, Prevention Institute and Policylink.
Tools for media advocacy
Talking points for media advocacy
Sample letters to the editor:
- "Innovative policies need time to work: Larry Cohen, Oakland (Health Affairs: 01.10)
- Fat tax: Judith Bell, Oakland (New York Times: 08.26.09)
- Krauthammer preventive care solution not sufficient: Larry Cohen, Oakland (Chicago Tribune: 08.18.09)
- Prevention is key: Linda Shak, Oakland (San Francisco Chronicle: 07.30.09)
- Community Prevention Saves Money: Erica Valdovinos, Oakland (Response to Fortune magazine: 07.09.09)


