Summary
Community leaders across the country are exploring the Accountable Communities for Health (ACH) model as an innovative opportunity to pursue population health improvement and health equity. The core of the ACH approach is harnessing the collective efforts of health stakeholders including healthcare, public health, behavioral health, school districts, other governmental entities, and community- and faith-based organizations. The success of this type of approach has been demonstrated repeatedly over the last 50 years through health improvement efforts that have incorporated both individual intervention and community prevention to take on issues as diverse as tobacco, drunk driving, lead exposure, and violence.
In this joint commentary, Prevention Institute and JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc. explores one core aspect of an ACH that requires careful attention is the development of a comprehensive portfolio of strategies that engages and builds on the strengths of partners across sectors. The implementation of synergistic interventions through a portfolio of strategies supports true population health improvement for communities-creating a greater effect than with sectors' individual efforts.