Featured Stories

Reducing Health Care Costs Through Prevention

Prevention efforts are often described as separate from health care but in fact investing in prevention and the health of the population has a track record of saving money as well as lives and has the potential to reduce costs moving forward.  On August 24th, Prevention Institute and The California Endowment, in collaboration with The Urban Institute, held a briefing at the California State capitol to discuss the recently released brief, Reducing Health Care Costs Through Prevention.  This brief highlights research findings based on a review of existing literature and original economic analyses and presents the following eight reasons why primary prevention plays an important role in reducing medical costs and improving health:

1. A majority of the most costly health conditions are preventable;
2. Health-related resources are not invested in the areas that most influence health;
3. A 5% reduction in preventable illnesses and injuries could lead to substantial savings;
4. Savings have been demonstrated and forecasted for specific prevention initiatives;  
5. Prevention has the potential to reduce end-of-life care costs;
6. Savings from prevention accrue beyond the health care sector;
7. Prevention could help improve productivity and competitiveness;
8. New economic models predict potential cost savings from prevention.

In addition to the findings, the brief delineates three recommendations for government to align its activities with improving and promoting health.

The 79 attendees of the briefing included representatives of legislative members and committees, various state departments and agencies, and counties’ health and community services offices. Comments from participants highlighted the importance of laying out cost savings for prevention; one participant noted, “Prevention and wellness are the most forgotten topics in the health care reform debate, yet they save a lot of money.”

We anticipate that interest in prevention will continue to flourish as legislators, medical professionals, public health professionals, advocates, and the general public become increasingly dissatisfied with the rising rates of injury and illness, and the inability of the current system to manage and treat the existing burden. The discussion about health care reform must be transformed to include achieving better health, with prevention as a cornerstone strategy.

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Legislative updates

Update on SB 120 and AB57

SB 120 (Padilla/Migden), the bill that would require chain restaurants to post nutrition information on menus and menu boards has passed the Legislature and is on the Governor’s desk.  More information on SB 120 and its progress can be found on the California Center for Public Health Advocacy’s website at www.publichealthadvocacy.org.

AB57 (Soto), the bill that would eliminate the sunset date for current "Safe Routes to School" construction program in CalTrans passed both houses of the Legislature on Sept 12, 2007 and is now on the Governor's desk. For more information about AB57 and its progress, please contact Deb Hubsmith with the Safe Routes to School Partnership at deb@saferoutespartnership.org.

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Resources

CANfit Policy Brief on California's Afterschool Landscape

California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program just released a policy brief on The After School Landscape in California: Opportunities of the After School Education and Safety Act, provides an overview of current after school developments in California and the opportunities and challenges they create for those who provide physical activity and nutrition programs for youth.  Download brief here (1.64 MB, 8 pages).

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Announcements

Congratulations to Marion Standish and Arnell Hinkle!

Please join us as we congratulate Marion Standish from The California Endowment, recipient of the American Public Health Association, Food and Nutrition Section, Catherine Cowell Award, and Arnell Hinkle from the California Adolescent Nutrition & Fitness Program (CANFit), recipient of the American Public Health Association, Food and Nutrition Section, Mary C. Egan Award. These awards honor public health professionals who have served as mentors in the area of public health nutrition and contributed to improving nutrition among low income and underserved populations.  The awards will  be presented at the APHA annual meeting being held in Washington D.C., November 3-7, 2007, during the Food and Nutrition Section reception, Sunday evening November 3rd. Everyone is welcome to come and help us honor our colleagues.

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'Ruckus Nation' Competition Seeks Great Ideas to Get Kids Moving

HopeLab, a non-profit organization committed to combining rigorous research with innovative solutions to improve the health and quality of life of young people with chronic illness, has launched “Ruckus Nation,” an international online idea competition to get kids moving. People of all ages are invited to submit ideas for new products that will increase physical activity in kids. More than $300,000 in prizes will be awarded, including a grand prize of more than $75,000. Participants (teams of one to six individuals) must register no later than Oct. 15, 2007; registration is limited to 1,000 teams. For more information, including competition entry requirements, rules and judging criteria are available at www.ruckusnation.com.

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Upcoming Events

 School Wellness Conference

October 1-2, Anaheim CA

Healthy Communities Taking Action in Santa Clara County

October 5, San Jose, CA

Salsa Fiesta, Puerto Rican Night!

October 19, Anaheim, CA

American Public Health Association Annual Meeting

November 3-7, Washington DC

Creating a Culture of Wellness, the 2007 National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit

November 27-29, Washington, DC

Making Change Matter: Maximizing the Health Impact of the New WIC Foods

January 16,  Los Angeles, CA

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Thanks for reading!  The Strategic Alliance is currently engaged in building a broad and diverse statewide membership.  If you were forwarded this e-mail and want to receive your own copy in the future, please click here or e-mail carol@preventioninstitute.org.  And if you’re already a member, please forward this message to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our coalition.  Thank you!

WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE?

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity away from a focus solely on individual choice and lifestyle towards one of environmental influences and corporate and government responsibility. Current Steering Committee members are: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA), California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) , California Project LEAN, California WIC Association (CWA), Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Partnership for the Public’s Health, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates, and YMCA of the East Bay.

The Strategic Alliance is supported by funding from The California Endowment.

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