Lucky 13 for ’13: Our Top Resources of 2012—Plus PI’s Year in Review

2012 was an intense, bittersweet year that ended with a hard-fought victory for advocates of prevention. The year was dominated by a seemingly endless election campaign and closed with the horrific shooting in Connecticut and the battle over the “fiscal cliff.” We worked hard to preserve and protect the Prevention and Public Health Fund—an effort, we’re happy to say, that was ultimately successful. We’re committed to doing all that we can to ensure continued support for the Fund and elements of the Affordable Care Act that promote innovation, and we'll keep working with allies around the country for sensible gun laws and policies that prevent violence in all of our communities.

Here are a few of the highlights for Prevention Institute in 2012:

• In 2012, our concept for Community Centered Health Homes—a way of integrating community prevention into redesigned healthcare systems—gained  traction as funders, the federal government and community health advocates began promoting the idea. We all agree: In order to bend the healthcare cost curve, prevention is an essential ingredient.
    
• In June, PI joined Health and Human Services Region 9 and the California Endowment in organizing a public event in Sacramento where U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin officially released the National Prevention Council Action Plan, a blueprint for shifting national priorities from treating illness to promoting wellness and equity in the health of the nation. How appropriate that it happened in California where the Health Happens Here campaign is bring issues of public health and equity to the public.
   
• In October, representatives of 20 cities came to Minneapolis for the largest convening ever of the UNITY network, highlighting the extraordinary work being done there and in cities across the country to prevent youth violence.
   
• In October, PI marked our 15th anniversary! Thanks again to all of you for 15 years of support and collaboration.

In the past year, we’ve also continued to build our library of free, online publications, tools and resources designed to help you integrate prevention and equity as you work to promote health and wellness and create community change. We invite you to start 2013 by checking out our Lucky 13 – the most popular resources of 2012:

1. Prevention is Primary: Strategies for Community Wellbeing: Hundreds of public health teachers and leaders joined webinars using our textbook, designed to help public health advocates, primary care providers and community-based organizations make use of prevention tools and strategies to strengthen community efforts.

2. The Minneapolis Blueprint for Action to Prevent Youth Violence: After attending the funeral of a murdered child, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak came to see urban violence is a public health issue and led a multipronged effort to change his city and prevent violence. The mayor and his colleagues transformed Minneapolis and slashed the murder rate. This article, part of City Voices and Perspectives, a series of profiles on the work cities are doing, outlines Mayor Rybak’s ideas on preventing violence and offers tips on engaging key decision-makers in your city.

3. We're Not Buying It: Stop Junk Food Marketing to Kids: Think Big Food is on the side of health? Think again. Our two-minute video highlights deceptive marketing to children, debunks industry claims, and explores new research on junk food marketing and kids’ health.

4. Health Equity and Prevention Primer: Public health professionals and graduate programs use this web-based training series in their curricula to support public health practitioners interested in policy advocacy and community change to achieve health equity.

5. Spectrum of Prevention: Prevention Institute's signature tool is designed to spur development of multifaceted strategies to promote health and wellness in the first place. Use our unique framework to explore and identify ways to create comprehensive change within organizations, institutions, and communities.

See the full list of our Lucky 13 for '13.