National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council

On March 23, 2009, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, enacting comprehensive health reform legislation. In addition to expanding health insurance and expanding preventive services, the bill created the 1) Prevention and Public Health Fund and 2) the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council which is to oversee the development of The National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy. The Council members include selected Cabinet Secretaries and other department heads as determined by the Surgeon General, who chairs the Council. The Council is tasked with creating a National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy that incorporates the most effective and achievable means of improving the health status of Americans and reducing the incidence of preventable illness and disability. Additionally, the Council provides coordination at the Federal level and among all executive departments and agencies, with respect to prevention, wellness, and health promotion practices, the public health system, and integrative health care in the United States; and provides recommendations to the President and the Congress concerning the most pressing health issues. At least 25 non-governmental members will serve as an advisory group to the Council. The National Strategy is to set specific measurable goals and objectives for improving the health of all Americans via federally-supported prevention, health promotion, and public health programs. While the Strategy will provide new focus and energy to health promotion and prevention, it will also build on existing federal initiatives, including, but not limited to Healthy People 2020.