Phase I Report
Recommendations for the Framework and Format of Healthy People 2020

Section I. Introduction

Purpose, Role, and Timeline of the Advisory Committee Efforts

Each decade since 1980, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a comprehensive set of national public health objectives.^ii,iii Known as Healthy People, the initiative has been grounded in the notion that setting objectives and providing benchmarks to track and monitor progress can motivate, guide, and focus action. This year, HHS began developing the next decade's objectives, known as Healthy People 2020.

As a key part of the Healthy People 2020 development process, HHS convened the Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 (hereinafter called the Advisory Committee). Convened under the "Federal Advisory Committee Act" (Pub. L. 92-463, Sec. 1, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 770.), it represents the first fully public advisory committee to be involved in planning for Healthy People. (Development of past initiatives was guided by a Secretary's Council composed of HHS Operating Division heads and former HHS Assistant Secretaries for Health.)¹

The Advisory Committee's members, 13 nationally known experts in their fields, were invited to share their expertise in areas related to health promotion and disease prevention, including: health policy, state and local public health, business, outcomes research, health economics, health communication, special populations, biostatistics, international health, health behaviors, environmental health, health systems, and epidemiology. These individuals serve in a variety of professional settings, including public, private, foundation, community-based, and academic organizations. A full list of the Advisory Committee's membership is provided in Appendix 1.

The HHS Secretary's Charge to the Advisory Committee

Advisory Committee members were formally appointed by the HHS Chief of Staff during the Advisory Committee's first meeting, which took place on January 31, 2008, in Washington, D.C. The Advisory Committee's charge is to:

• "Provide advice and consultation to the Secretary to facilitate the process of developing and implementing national health promotion and disease prevention goals and objectives; and
• Advise the Secretary about initiatives to occur during the initial implementation phase of the goals and objectives."²

Organization of this Report

In the first phase of its work (January – October, 2008), the Advisory Committee responded to the Secretary's charge by preparing recommendations for a framework and overall approach to Healthy People 2020. Looking back to assess progress and learn from the past is important. Yet it is also imperative to look forward to provide a coherent, realistic vision of what health in our Nation can be in the coming decade. The Advisory Committee has embraced this opportunity.

After nine months of deliberations and discussions, the Advisory Committee presents in this Phase I report its broad recommendations for a framework and overall approach to Healthy People 2020. The report describes methods used to develop these recommendations; historical context; and proposed elements for a Healthy People 2020 framework, including:

• The purpose, form, and intended uses of Healthy People 2020;
• A vision statement;
• A mission statement;
• Overarching goals (including the rationale for their selection);
• A graphic model to depict key concepts and processes in Healthy People 2020; and
• Guidelines and processes for implementation.

The appendices provide additional detail on various topics that are covered in the report. Included (see Appendix 2) is a preamble—an explanatory narrative that is offered for use as an introduction to the Healthy People 2020 objectives themselves. The preamble is a statement of values that explains what the Healthy People initiative is about. A detailed description of the timeline for and phases of the Advisory Committee's work is presented in Appendix 3.

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Last revised: December 11, 2008