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

 

For Immediate Release January 20, 2000

ON-SITE Press Room 1/25-28:  (202) 756-5224

HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala and Assistant Secretary for Health and Surgeon General David Satcher will release the Healthy People 2010 initiative at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 25, 2000 at the HHS-sponsored Partnerships for Health in the New Millennium conference taking place in the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. A press conference will follow at 10:45 a.m. in the Diplomat Room 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.

Other participants in the launch of Healthy People 2010 will be a former President Jimmy Carter (via videotaped message), former HHS Secretary Louis Sullivan, former Surgeon General Julius Richmond, many former HHS assistant secretaries and other high-ranking government officials. Leaders from public health, health care, business and other sectors will also participate. It will bring together 2,010 people from a wide range of professional fields including public health, health education, government, academia, the technology sector and many more. The conference will also host the release of new "Leading Health Indicators" that define 10 key health measures of broad importance.

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 24-28 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.

The major events and sessions at the conference include:

• Tues., January 25, 9:30-10:45 a.m.: Launch of Healthy People 2010 initiative and release of the Leading Health Indicators with Secretary Shalala, Surgeon General Satcher, and the U.S. Women's World Cup Soccer Team;

• Tues., January 25, 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Congressional Initiatives to Improve Health;

• Wed., January 26, 8:00-8:20 a.m.: Release by The Coalition of Healthy Cities and Communities of a "Call to Action Guide;"

• Wed., January 26, 10:30 a.m.-Noon: Showcase of "The Guide to Community Preventive Services;"

• Wed., January 26, 3:30-5:00 p.m.: Release by Partnership for Prevention's Healthy People Business Advisory Council of Leading Health Objectives for Business;

• Wed., January 26, 5:00-6:00 p.m.: Release by Agency for Health Care Research & Quality of "Putting Prevention into Practice: Staying Healthy At 50+;"

• Thurs., January 27, Noon-1:00 p.m.: Release by American Legacy Foundation and CDC Office on Smoking and Health of a nationwide, youth tobacco survey;

• Thurs., January 27, 1:30-3:00 p.m.: Nicole Johnson, Miss America 1999, and others will give personal accounts of how they overcame health adversities;

• Thurs., January 27, 6:00-8:00 p.m.: Technology Games Awards; 

• Fri., January 28, 1:30-3:00 p.m.: Healthy People in a Healthy World session focusing on international health disparities with a video message from former President Carter and others;

• Fri., January 28, 3:00-3:15 p.m.: A Healthy Charge to the Nation session with Surgeon General Satcher.

The conference includes 6 plenary sessions and 12 concurrent sessions on broad issues of public health importance, as well as one session for each of the 28 Healthy People 2010 focus areas, and over 50 breakout sessions. Altogether, over 600 oral and poster presentations will be presented by scientists from around the world. Select session of Partnerships for Health in the New Millennium will be broadcast by satellite and in live streaming video. Go online to http://www.health.gov/partnerships for more information, including details about conference sessions being broadcast on the Internet. Live streaming video of select conference session will be available at http://videocast.nih.gov.

Healthy People originated with a 1979 report 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. Healthy People 2010 is the result of a broad consultation process, including the public and the Healthy People Consortium, a public-private alliance of over 350 national organizations and 270 state agencies. To order the "Healthy People 2010" book call (202) 512-1800 and refer to stock #017-001-00543-6, or call 1 (800) 367-4725.

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 $5000 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.

Note: For media registration go online to http://www.health.gov/partnerships or email partnerships@health.org.

For other HHS Press Releases and Fact Sheets pertaining to the subject of this announcement, please visit our Press Release and Fact Sheet search engine at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/.

Updated: 05/01/08