HHS NEWS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

NEW NATIONAL HEALTH GOALS TO BE RELEASED 
Healthy People Initiative Sets Agenda for New Century

Washington, D.C. — HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala and Assistant Secretary for Health and Surgeon General David A. Satcher will release the Healthy People 2010 initiative at the HHS-sponsored Partnerships for Health in the New Millennium conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., from January 24�, 2000. Healthy People 2010 contains broad-reaching national health goals for the first decade of the new century.

"Healthy People is a simple yet powerful idea," Secretary Shalala said. "It is a roadmap to better health that provides diverse groups with the knowledge they need to work together to improve the health of all Americans."

"The Healthy People agenda forecasts what can be achieved through lifestyle improvements and good preventive care," said Dr. Satcher. "With the launch of Healthy People 2010, we will celebrate the progress of the nation with a new health agenda for a new era."

Since its inception in 1979, Healthy People has moved the nation from assessing health status to projecting and forecasting what is possible to achieve through preventive interventions and proven clinical preventive services. The initiative provides a time capsule snapshot of the progress of the health of the nation in the last part of the century. Healthy People has enjoyed the bipartisan support of four administrations. Many former and current HHS assistant secretaries, along with other high-ranking government officials, will be participating in the launch.

Healthy People 2010, the third set of decade-long goals, addresses the scenarios and trends of the upcoming decade, including a larger, more diverse, aging population and a host of new health risks such as emerging infectious diseases. The initiative also calls for a refocusing of health policies and expenditures on the long-term investment for a lifetime of good health.

The January 24� conference is a joint meeting of the Healthy People Consortium and the Partnerships for Networked Consumer Health Information and is expected to draw a wide audience of public and private sector participants. It will focus on four themes: Partnering for Health Improvements; Eliminating Health Disparities; Increasing Quality and Years of Healthy Life; and Harnessing Technology for Health. Dr. Satcher will give the keynote address for the closing session, A Healthy Charge to the Nation.

Healthy People originated with a 1979 report by the U.S. Surgeon General that established five life-stage targets to be achieved over a 10-year period. Currently, most states and many localities use the Healthy People framework to guide local health policies and programs. Many will be releasing their own adapted versions of Healthy People 2010 throughout the coming years. Healthy People 2010 is the result of a broad consultation process, including unprecedented public response—over 11,000 comments on the draft document were received. The Healthy People Consortium is a public-private alliance of over 350 national organizations and 270 state agencies that help guide the initiative.

Partnerships for Networked Consumer Health Information examines the ever-expanding role of technology in promoting health and preventing disease. Sponsored by HHS, it brings together the public and private sector to promote development of interactive telecommunication and computer technologies that help consumers take greater responsibility for their health. At the conference, the unique Partnerships Technology Games will showcase cutting-edge applications and Web sites, offering $5,000 in prizes for innovation and excellence.

Conference sponsors include the HHS Office of Public Health and Science and many other HHS agencies. Non-federal sponsors include the Academy for Educational Development, the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania and the Annenberg School for Communication for the Technology Games and Showcase.

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Updated: 05/01/08