CBHA Perspectives

Abang Ojullu

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:44:00 GMT

Abang Ojullu remembers all too vividly the day she put her eldest daughter on a small ambulance jet bound for Sioux Falls. The child’s asthma attack was too severe for doctors in rural Worthington, Minn. to treat.

Commissioner Podcast Series

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:51:00 GMT

Hear what the Commissioners have to say about the journey of the Commission to Build a Healthier America, the recommendations that they developed and the future of health in America in a final Podcast Series on the Leadership Blog.

A Closing Word from Risa Lavizzo-Mourey on the Commission to Build a Healthier America

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:05:00 GMT

After a year and a half, two major reports and national events, three regional field hearings, nine issue briefs, two chart books, and more than 50 meetings with leaders from government and the private sector, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America has come to a close.

Guest Post: Toward the Healthy City

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:54:00 GMT

What makes a city healthy and how would we know when a city is healthy? This question has challenged planners, public health officials and urban residents from Mesopotamia to modern American cities.

From Congress to the Cafeteria: Healthy Food is a Priority

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:27:00 GMT

The Commission recognized the importance of nutritious food for improving the health of Americans when it released its recommendations in April. It saw communities without any access to grocery stores and fresh produce, school meals for children containing chicken nuggets, pizza and fries, and a country disconnected from the food system it relies on for its nutritional wellbeing. But recently, the tide has begun to turn.

Live from APHA: Working Together to Make Americans Healthier

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:39:00 GMT

From RWJF’s liveblog of the 2009 American Public Health Association (APHA) conference in Philadelphia comes a new post on Commission and its recommendations for improving America’s health.

Guest Post: “What does ‘good health’ mean to girls?”

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:58:00 GMT

America’s health starts with healthy children, but what does “good health” mean to kids? At Girls Scouts of the USA, we’re working to bring an important perspective to the table: we know what works for girls.

Poverty’s High Cost to Health

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:54:00 GMT

In the September 2009 Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity webcast, RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., discusses social and economic factors that influence health, including access to high quality health care, healthy neighborhoods and grocery stores.

Commission Launches Extensive New Database of Prevention and Wellness Resources

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:38:00 GMT

The Commission launched a new online resource guide today at resources.commissiononhealth.org that features key organizations, reports and experts in nutrition, physical activity, early childhood, tobacco and healthy communities.

Guest Post: School's Out for...Never? (Updated: Watch Vialet on ABC Now)

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:29:00 GMT

As President Obama calls for lengthening the school day and shortening summer vacation to improve education for U.S. children, Jill Vialet, founder and president of Playworks, explains that "there's a way to recapture an entire week for each classroom every year that already exists." The answer? "It's recess," she says. "And it can pay hefty dividends."

Addressing Your Questions from the Accessing Healthy Foods Webinar

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:57:00 GMT

Thanks to all who joined the August 10 webinar focusing on promoting health by improving access to healthy foods. As with the previous two webinars, we've collected all the questions and answered them here on the Leadership Blog.

Time For Constructive, Research-Based Dialogue About Health Reform

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:08:00 GMT

RWJF’s James Marks follows up his excellent piece about the CBO’s scoring rules on The Huffington Post, “What if Benjamin Franklin Ran the Congressional Budget Office?” with a call for less shouting and more constructive, research-based dialogue with the medical and health communities. Dr. Marks highlights the progress that has been made over the last month toward calling for a reevaluation of the CBO 10-year scoring horizon, which discounts investments in prevention.

Guest Post: Separating Fact from Fiction and Health from Health Care

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:58:00 GMT

In an editorial on Wednesday, The New York Times debunks the often-cited claim that America has the best health care system in the world. For the politicians who routinely use this as a plank in their efforts to stifle reform, the Urban Institute study is an objective rebuke. The U.S. health care system is not the best – far from it. And Americans, with a life expectancy that still trails many other countries, are not the healthiest people in the world.

Addressing Your Questions from the Healthy Communities Webinar

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:19:00 GMT

As with the first webinar, the Commission's August 4 webinar, "Creating Healthy Communities," generated more questions from participants than we could answer during the Q&A. The questions are compiled and answered by Commission staff in the post below.

Addressing Your Questions from the Early Childhood Webinar

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:55:00 GMT

The Commission's July 24 webinar, "A Focus on Starting Early," generated many questions from participants that did not fit into the allotted time for Q&A. We have compiled these questions and answered them below, providing links and additional resources wherever possible.

Guest Response: Looking Beyond the CBO's 10-Year Window for a Return on Health Investments

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:40:00 GMT

Dr. Marks’ comments strike a personally resonant chord. As a family physician, all my medical training and years in practice centered on a view of patients in the context not only of their families and communities but of their own life courses. “The child is father to the man.” We become who we are as adults and as we age, based to an important extent on who we were as children.

Guest Post: What If Benjamin Franklin Ran the Congressional Budget Office?

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:28:00 GMT

Benjamin Franklin once famously remarked, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Unfortunately, what this means is often, according to the CBO, an ounce of prevention isn't worth anything at all.

Early Childhood Webinar Recording and Slides Now Available

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:10:00 GMT

The audio recording and accompanying slides from Friday's webinar, "A Focus on Starting Early," are now available. Listen now and sign up to be notified about the next two webinars on the Commission's recommendations.

Real Progress, 30 Years in the Making

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:43:00 GMT

I attended an event yesterday that was more than 30 years in the making. As I looked around the White House Office of Urban Affairs listening tour meeting at a packed Philadelphia warehouse space and saw low-income residents and local leaders mingling with some of our nation’s most powerful people (including two cabinet secretaries!), I thought back on where the fight for equitable access to healthy food started for me.

Guest Post: Air Pollutants During Pregnancy Limit Children's Ability to Grow up Healthy

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:39:00 GMT

A ground-breaking – and disturbing – new study has added to the already massive accumulation of evidence that where we live is one of the most important influences on our health as well as our life chances overall. The study, just published in the August issue of Pediatrics, found that the IQs of young children were significantly lowered by the exposure of their mothers to urban air pollutants during pregnancy.

Guest Post: HUD Calls for Non-Smoking Policies in Public Housing Units

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:34:00 GMT

In a notice released on Friday, HUD strongly encouraged Public Housing Authorities to prohibit smoking in all public housing to improve the health of residents and reduce smoking-related fires. The measure follows the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that President Obama signed at the end of June.

Guest Post: Using Health Impact Assessments to Transform Health in America

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:24:00 GMT

According to a commentary in the most recent JAMA, Health Impact Assessments can be used to examine the effects that a policy or program might have on the health of a population. Can they be used to help transform the health of America? Absolutely.

The Future of America’s Cities: Making Fresh Food Available to All

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:40:00 GMT

We’re excited to say that The Food Trust, which the Commission highlighted at its field hearing in Philadelphia and included in its final recommendations as a model for providing nutritious foods to underserved urban areas, will be featured as a panelist in the Obama Administration’s “National Conversation on the Future of Urban and Metropolitan America.”

Statement from RWJF on the New Surgeon General of the United States

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:53:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation congratulates former trustee, Regina Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A., on being nominated for Surgeon General of the United States.

Massachusetts: On the Same Health Care Page

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:54:00 GMT

We are not alone. While our Commission to Build a Healthier America was studying alternatives to expensive medical care to improve the health of our citizens, so, too, was the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) with funding from The Boston Foundation.

Americans Reject “Sick Care," Favor Keeping People Healthy in the First Place

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:27:00 GMT

Last month, David R. Williams wrote a post on this blog that described the growing momentum around prevention and wellness among the leaders of health reform. Now, a new study from Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and Public Opinion Strategies demonstrates that the American people also recognize the importance of prevention.

Guest Post: F as in Fat

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:25:00 GMT

Yesterday I was involved in the RWJF and the Trust for America’s Health release of our annual F as in Fat report on obesity in the United States. This year’s findings were particularly interesting.

Guest Post: Asking the Right Questions About Prevention

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:32:00 GMT

When the answer is that living longer is a problem, you know you’re asking the wrong question. The Congressional Budget Office recently issued a memo identifying areas where Congress could save money in a health reform bill. When it came to disease prevention and health promotion, the logic in its response was troubling.

RWJF Priorities Intersect with the Commission's Recommendations

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:12:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America just completed a yearlong study and issued 10 recommendations for improving the health of all Americans. I was struck by how many of its suggestions matched our strategies for preventing childhood obesity.

Eight Signs that Wellness and Prevention have become Health Reform Priorities

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:31:00 GMT

The Commission has been studying prevention, wellness, and the broader factors that influence good health for nearly two years. And as the health care reform debate has heated up over the last few weeks, we’ve seen eight signs that health reformers and leaders from all sectors are starting to get the message that there’s more to health than health care.

Start Thinking Outside the Doctor's Office

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:58:00 GMT

As a contributor to The Washington Post’s Health Care Rx blog, I was asked to respond to President Obama’s health reform speech to the American Medical Association this week. In my response, “Start Thinking Outside the Doctor’s Office,” I challenge us all to think big about health reform and to consider the connection between our health and the places we live.

Altarum Institute: Health Is Not Just About Health Care

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:11:00 GMT

Following an excellent lunch discussion at the Altarum Institute about the social factors that affect health, I put together a guest post for their Online Health Policy Forum. I encourage you to take a look at my post and join the discussion that is underway.

U.S. Surgeon General Report: Healthy Houses Can Lead to Healthier Lives

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:15:00 GMT

Ron Sims understands the significance a home can have in a person’s life. When it was time to move to Washington, D.C. to join the new Administration – he is Obama’s pick for Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Development (HUD) – his wife and kids decided not to leave Seattle. Their home, he says, was simply too important.

Prevention Matters: Stopping Sickness Before it Starts

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:24:00 GMT

When Prevention Matters, the blog for Partnership for Prevention, asked that I write a guest post about the Commission’s recommendations, I gladly accepted the opportunity.

Health Reform – We Need to Widen the Lens

Wed, 20 May 2009 15:37:00 GMT

We need health reform in the United States, and we need it quickly. There is wide consensus about the need for change, but are we likely to achieve a healthier America solely through the approaches to health reform now on the table?

Losing Your Job May be Hazardous to Your Health

Wed, 13 May 2009 23:04:00 GMT

On Friday, the Labor Department announced that the U.S. unemployment rate hit 8.9 percent in April – the highest level since September 1983. For Americans struggling to make their mortgage payments or searching for work, the financial impact is clear. What may be overlooked, however, is the effect of losing a job on a person’s health.

VIDEO: Watch the Education Calculator in Action

Wed, 06 May 2009 20:15:00 GMT

In conjunction with today’s release of the Commission’s new chartbook, the Commission developed the Education and Health calculator to show the impact of education has on the well-being of communities across the country. In every state and in most counties, users can see how residents' health would be different if education levels there were higher - or lower.

What Will it Take to Make Americans Healthier?

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:53:00 GMT

What will it take to make Americans healthier? If you think the answer is health reform, think again.

A Healthy Populace Requires More Than Medical Care

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:53:00 GMT

In the halls of Congress, most attention regarding our nation’s health focuses on reforming our health care system. But health and health care are not the same, and health reform alone won’t improve the health of all — or even most — Americans.

VIDEO: APHA Launches Healthiest Nation in One Generation for National Public Health Week

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:37:00 GMT

The American Public Health Association kicks off its National Public Health Week this week with the launch of an excellent new video campaign called "Healthiest Nation in One Generation." Watch the video here.

Guest Post: Looking Ahead

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:37:00 GMT

Even though NPHW 2009 has come and gone, our work is far from over. In the months ahead, APHA will work to build on the momentum of all the individuals and communities who have committed to making America the healthiest nation in one generation.

Building a Healthier America

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:17:00 GMT

America's health is failing. Despite unprecedented biomedical achievements, Americans are sicker than they should be and are dying far too young. Shockingly, our children may be the first generation in America to be less healthy and even lead shorter lives than their parents.

Guest Post: Health. It's not just one thing. It's a lot of things.

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:31:00 GMT

As a person who trained and practiced as a pediatrician, several careers ago, I am never going to dump on the importance of getting good health care. But at the same time, the course of my life has taught me that there are so many other things that determine how healthy a person is--and that overall, we Americans are not doing so well.

VIDEO: Commissioners Discuss Final Recommendations

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:04:00 GMT

Today the Commission releases its recommendations and new report, Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America. I recently sat down with RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, my fellow Commissioner Dennis Rivera, and Staff Director David. R. Williams to discuss the recommendations and what the Commission saw over the last year.

The Boston One Touch Program

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:21:00 GMT

The Boston One Touch Program seeks to leverage and coordinate the efforts of city and state government and community advocacy groups to improve the health of children from lower-income families.

Bethel New Life

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:21:00 GMT

A faith-based community development organization in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago, Bethel New Life led a transit-oriented design initiative when the Chicago Transit Authority threatened to discontinue train service through the neighborhood.

Arabia Mountain Trail

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:21:00 GMT

The Arabia Mountain Trail, built in an African-American community east of Atlanta, has measurably increased physical activity for residents by connecting neighborhoods, downtown and commercial areas with large nature preserves and historic sites.

April 2 Commission Release Event on Twitter

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:59:00 GMT

The April 2 release of the Commission's final recommendations won't just be accessible to those in Washington, D.C. Commission staff will be covering the event live all morning tomorrow on Twitter at the the "channel" #CBHA. See the conversation here.

Leveraging Food Policy to Improve America’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

This Commission has been charged with finding solutions outside the traditional health care system to improve the health of all Americans. Nutrition policy is an important place to start.

The HealthierUS School Challenge

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

HealthierUS is a voluntary certification process established by USDA that rates an elementary school’s nutrition environment to recognize and encourage schools’ commitments to making healthy changes.

Smoking Cessation at Wal-Mart

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

As part of the company’s Healthy Living initiative, Wal-Mart offered employees a smoking cessation prescription starter pack for $9.

The Edible Schoolyard

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

School gardens are a promising strategy to improve students’ attitude towards vegetable intake/ food preferences and increase school connectedness.

Special Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs for Seniors, Women, Infants and Children

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

The program provide fresh, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables to participants in supplemental food programs such as WIC or SNAP, and expands awareness of, use of and sales at farmers’ markets.

Sports4Kids

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

Sports4Kids, a nonprofit. public-private partnership, provides safe, healthy physical activity at low-income schools so that “every child has the chance to play.”

Marin County Safe Routes to School

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

In Marin County, CA, The Safe Routes to School program aims to increase the number of students walking and biking to school.

Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina is a statewide movement that promotes increased opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity wherever people live, learn, work, play and pray.

North Carolina’s STARS

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

In 2000, North Carolina launched the 5-Star Child Care License system (STARS) to raise awareness and help parents assess the quality of child care programs.

Building a Healthier America Starts with Healthy Choices in our Neighborhoods

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:36:00 GMT

Can Americans be truly healthy in communities overstuffed with fast-food and soda-and-chip corner stores? An important new study says, “Not likely.”

Charles Gliha

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:36:00 GMT

Chuck may not be a scientist or a physician but he knows firsthand that health and happiness go hand-in-hand. To him, it’s all about stepping out the front door of his house in Cleveland’s Slavic Village and having not just a sense of safety, but of well-being and fun.

VIDEO: New Commission Report Shows Shortfalls in Children's Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:34:00 GMT

Staff Director David R. Williams and James S. Marks of RWJF discuss the Commission's new report, America's Health Starts With Healthy Children: How Do States Compare?, on the shortfalls in children's health tied to parents' income and education.

Education, children's health linked

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:33:00 GMT

As chairman of a global drive on children's health, I devote much of my energy these days to improving the survival odds for millions of children in the developing world. It pains me to tell you that we have a lot of work to do to improve those odds for our own children here at home. And, counterintuitive though it may seem, I believe the place to start is with our education system. A good education can help lay the foundation for a healthy life.

The Farrington And Singleton Families

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:27:00 GMT

Beginning at even the youngest ages, the educational, social and other opportunities that children have are strongly linked to their health later in life. Although worlds apart in many respects, two North Carolina families both credit their children's experiences in the same Chapel Hill preschool with providing not only the skills in reading and writing that prepare them for kindergarten, but also the motor and social skills that are also critical for succeeding in school.

April Manzanares

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:27:00 GMT

When Wal-Mart rolled out its Personal Sustainability Project in 2006, it presented its employees with a challenge: What’s the one change you would make in your life to make the world a better place? April Manzanares, a Wal-Mart people manager in Broomfield, Colo., knew the answer right away. She wanted to be healthier.

Improving America’s Health is not all about Health Care

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:25:00 GMT

Clearly, health and the nation’s economy and overall well-being are intertwined. I have to tell you that I am frustrated by the fact that we spend so much on health care, yet so many Americans’ health falls short of what it could and should be. America is not achieving its full health potential. We can do better.

Ana Barrios and May Caudillo

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:24:00 GMT

It’s not easy being 11. Teachers don’t let you speak your native Spanish, older kids try to lure you into gangs and then there are those pesky siblings, prone to hogging closet space and the family laptop. Sometimes the best thing to do is just go for a run.

Laquanda Dobson and Shabazz Ransom

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:19:00 GMT

Healthy habits start young. That’s why Laquanda Dobson and Shabazz Ransom of West Philadelphia spend much of their free time teaching elementary schoolers how to grow, buy and cook nutritious foods.

Andrea Silva

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:51:00 GMT

At Centura Health at Home in Denver, Andrea Silva resolved a struggle that many new mothers face – returning to work while continuing to provide nutritious breast milk for her baby.

Opportunities for Health in U.S. Economic Recovery Package

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:49:00 GMT

This country is facing many economic challenges. In this time of financial stress, however, there are opportunities for improving health for all Americans.

Unnatural Causes Wins Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:47:00 GMT

Helping to build the case for investments in prevention and public health is a groundbreaking documentary titled, Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? This month, the series received well-deserved recognition.

Michaelene Wolff

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:13:00 GMT

For Wolff, an energetic and dedicated night-shift nurse, the decision to kick her “addiction” to food and start living healthy began with a simple question: “How can I educate my patients about being healthy and maintaining a good weight when I’m not doing it myself?”

Make the Stimulus Big, Smart and Fair

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:55:00 GMT

Don't build more car-choked highways and bridges to nowhere. Investing in jobs, transit and people will build a prosperous, inclusive America.

Kathleen Dolezal

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:29:00 GMT

When it came to warding off the threat of diabetes that has plagued her family, Kathleen Dolezal got a boost from an unexpected source: her employer, the State of Nebraska.

Claudine Paris

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:29:00 GMT

At 71, Claudine Paris feels like a “rock star” every day she walks through the hallways of James John Elementary School in Portland, Ore., where she volunteers as a literacy tutor.

Ed Fendley

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:20:00 GMT

As chairman of the Arlington County School Board in the Northern Virginia suburbs, Ed Fendley touts walking and biking as good for the bottom line. Every teacher or student that passes up a ride in a car to get to school saves the district money on parking, reduces air pollution and alleviates traffic jams in front of local schools.

Norma Morales

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:20:00 GMT

Sometimes all it takes is one good thing, leading to another, to get on the path to healthier living. At least, that’s how Norma Morales sees it.

James Moon

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:20:00 GMT

Staying healthy by eating right and getting exercise has a lot to do with individual choices. But communities can help—or hinder, says James Moon, an Arlington County, Va., resident.

Giving Every Child the Opportunity to be Healthy

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:01:00 GMT

A sobering new report from our national health commission shows that California’s children face the largest health disparities in America. I wish I could say that I’m surprised, but I’m not. After years of working as an advocate for equitable social policy, I’m all too familiar with the glaring gaps in health among Californians.

The Full Story About Children's Health

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:10:00 GMT

I covered a lot of stories as an ABC TV news anchor over the years, but I never quite got the full story about children’s health across this country. But now, living in Massachusetts specifically, and sitting on a national commission looking at Americans’ health, I get it. We’ve got a lot of work to do.

Marsha Basloe

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:02:00 GMT

Marsha has spent most of her professional career in the field of education but it took decades to reach the conclusion that early childhood development—the years before elementary school—is the key to it all.

Teresa Rubio and daughter Ana Baltazar

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:02:00 GMT

Teresa tries to guide her daughter, Ana, toward healthy choices – less bread and burgers, more vegetables. But busy parents can’t be with their children every minute of every day.

Dan Gauthreaux

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:19:00 GMT

It all began with a couple of fidgety staffers. Design guru Mitchell Gold was in a meeting and noticed that a few employees seemed more interested in their watches than the conversation. As the minutes ticked toward 5 p.m., the parents in the room were silently fretting that they’d be late for the daily day care pick-up. And if they were late, they’d face extra charges.

Malcolm Hamlett

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:19:00 GMT

Malcolm is the sort of teen who makes everything look easy. Star basketball player. Decent grades. Confident and comfortable – whether he’s goofing around with the little ones or surrounded by a group of suits. But that wasn’t always the case. Back in middle school, Malcolm had difficulty opening up with adults and was afraid to try lifting weights. He worried about his appearance and what other kids thought of him.

Tina Evans

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:19:00 GMT

When Tina first began taking her daughter to the Durham, N.C., YMCA, the goal was to improve Kieria’s grades. Tina, who works full-time in hospital admissions, tried to help Kieria herself. "But we needed somebody outside the family to help her get on track," says Tina, explaining that parents often have trouble filling the role of tutor. In short order, Kieria’s Cs in math and reading became As and Bs.

The Elkins' Family

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:01:00 GMT

Sheryl and Dean Elkins have spent most of their lives in Oak Hill, West Virginia, where Dean works as a volunteer fire fighter and helps his father run the family printing business. Sheryl is a stay-at-home mom caring for their autistic son, Keith, and caring for her aging mother and aunt. Learn how two generations of this American family have worked hard and struggled to be healthy in a place where obstacles to health abound.

Beverly Davis

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:56:00 GMT

How does one person’s illness affect a family, a community and a society? What toll does it take on a mother? On her young children, their health and their chances for success? See how Beverly Davis, a former member of the U.S. Army and a single mother of two young children, strives to cope and live a successful, healthy life while suffering from a debilitating intestinal disease.

Kenyon McGriff

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:31:00 GMT

It's easy to be healthy in a nice neighborhood, with tree lined streets, sidewalks, good grocery stores and farmers’ markets – but Kenyon McGriff didn’t grow up in a neighborhood like that. Weighing 270 pounds by the time he was in 10th grade, Kenyon learned that his environment, with all of its fast food restaurants, corner markets, and dimly lit sidewalks, was more of a challenge to his health than he had ever imagined.

The Carolina Abecedarian Project

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:30:00 GMT

No Description

No Description

Healthy Children: Earlier Rather than Later

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:33:00 GMT

“Better earlier than later.” How often have we heard that expression? Whether the phrase is applied to the detection of disease, applying for jobs, or taking a flight at peak travel times, early action is key. Child development experts in this country have been saying that with regards to children--aged birth to five--for the past 40 years.

An Unprecedented Reversal

Fri, 23 May 2008 16:35:00 GMT

A recent study documents an unprecedented reversal over the past few decades in Americans’ life expectancy. For the first time in nearly a century, rather than increasing, life expectancy for women declined in 180 of the nation’s 3,000-plus counties.

Timely Moment to Seek Solutions

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:20:00 GMT

Solutions to the complex problem of improving health and reducing health disparities will not be simple, but this is a uniquely opportune time to seek them. Widespread recognition – by business, government, and the general public – that medical care costs must be brought under control creates a sense of urgency. Pervasive concerns about global economic competitiveness add to pressures not only to reduce medical care costs but to have a healthier and thus more economically productive workforce.

Enabling America to Reach its Full Health Potential

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:12:00 GMT

Improving health by improving education, housing, job opportunities, and neighborhoods sounds like an enormous undertaking. But I am engaged in this Commission because I am convinced, now more than ever, that there are promising solutions that exist out there.