Healthy People 2020: The Road Ahead

Making a Difference

Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for promoting health and preventing disease. Since 1979, Healthy People has set and monitored national health objectives to meet a broad range of health needs, encourage collaborations across sectors, guide individuals toward making informed health decisions, and measure the impact of our prevention activity. Currently, Healthy People 2010 is leading the way to achieve increased quality and years of healthy life and the elimination of health disparities.

Now Is the Time

Every 10 years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leverages scientific insights and lessons learned from the past decade, along with new knowledge of current data, trends, and innovations. Healthy People 2020 will reflect assessments of major risks to health and wellness, changing public health priorities, and emerging issues related to our nation's health preparedness and prevention.

The Process

The Healthy People process is inclusive; its strength is directly tied to collaboration. The development process strives to maximize transparency, public input and stakeholder dialogue to ensure that Healthy People 2020 is relevant to diverse public health needs and seizes opportunities to achieve its goals. Since its inception, Healthy People has become a broad-based, public engagement initiative with thousands of citizens helping to shape it at every step along the way. Drawing on the expertise of a Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020, public input and a Federal Interagency Workgroup, Healthy People will provide a framework to address risk factors and determinants of health and the diseases and disorders that affect our communities.

Stay Involved and Informed

Public participation is shaping Healthy People 2020, its purpose, goals, organization, and action plans. HHS is seeking input from communities and stakeholders through public meetings across the country and public comment periods. As a national initiative, Healthy People's success depends on a coordinated commitment to improve the health of the nation. Subscribe to the Healthy People listserv for the latest information on Healthy People 2020 and to receive e-mail notices of related news, events, publications, and more!  To become an active supporter of Healthy People, join the Healthy People Consortium.

Timing

Healthy People 2020 will be released in two phases. The framework (the vision, mission, goals, focus areas, and criteria for selecting and prioritizing objectives) will be released in 2009. In 2010, the Healthy People 2020 objectives will be released along with guidance for achieving the new 10-year targets.

Key Dates

Content for this site is maintained by the Office of Disease Prevention & Health Promotion,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Last revised: March 31, 2009