Re-envisioning the Future: Building a Movement towards Health

Currently, our nation’s approach to health is focused on repairing health after the damage is done. Building a “culture of health” means shifting the paradigm from sick care to focusing on the grander whole of what “being healthy and staying healthy” means. It means recognizing that while Americans’ economic, geographic, or social circumstances may differ, those differences should not determine their length of life or likelihood of becoming ill or injured. People want health so they can have a good satisfying life for themselves and those they care about. In this session, we will explore the determinants of health and their impact on health outcomes and community outcomes, including differences in life expectancy. We will also discuss how we, as a nation, can work together to build a movement toward health. We will highlight convergence funding and collaborative opportunities:  partnerships that are largely outside of health institutions but really important to health (i.e., education, business, and housing) and communities from across the country where a “culture of health” is coming to life (i.e., New Orleans, Louisiana; Spokane, Washington; and Rochester, New York).