On September 15, 1997, a new web site opened to accept public comments on Healthy People 2010-the U.S. health goals for the first decade of the next century. This event coincided with the fall meeting of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Healthy People Steering Committee. Dr. Claude Earl Fox, Acting Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, is serving as the chairperson of the Committee.
The new URL address, http://www.health.gov/healthypeople, was announced in the Federal Register on September 5. This notice calls for public comments on the proposed structure of Healthy People 2010--its goals, focus areas, and focus area arrangement. (See fan illustration below.) Commenters also have an opportunity to suggest modifications and deletions to existing Healthy People 2000 objectives, as well as proposals for new objectives. Comments received by December 15, 1997, will be used for a draft Healthy People 2010 document to be published for public comment in the fall of 1998.
Members of the Healthy People Steering Committee represent each operating division of HHS and each staff division in the Office of Public Health and Science. They meet quarterly to address policy issues and provide overall guidance to the initiative for the Assistant Secretary for Health. The work of the committee is coordinated by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP).
In addition to observing a demonstration of the new homepage, the Committee addressed numerous issues related to Healthy People 2010. Staff of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, discussed data sources and tracking issues. Staff of the Public Health Foundation provided preliminary results on the ability of the States and localities to measure their own objectives. The Committee also discussed data development for Healthy People and how it relates to budget performance measures being introduced in the fiscal year 1999 Federal budget. The committee was called on to continue examining how Healthy People contributes to performance measurement and vice-versa.
Staff from the Office of Minority Health led a discussion on the cross-cutting focus areas proposed in the 2010 framework. Theoretically, there is no need for population subgroups to have separate chapters in the Healthy People 2010 document, provided their particular interests are addressed in all focus areas. ODPHP staff presented an outline of a draft chapter of the 2010 document and invited input on standardizing material to accompany the objectives.
The Executive Director of the Partnership for Prevention spoke about the
formation of the Healthy People 2010 Business Advisory Council to engage corporate support
and input for 2010. Plans are to have 20 to 25 members representing large, medium, and
small businesses, including firms owned by minorities and women. Consideration is also
being given to including representation from labor unions. This project received funding
for a 2-year period on July 3, 1997, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
PROPOSED HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010 FRAMEWORK
Vision of 2010: Healthy People in Healthy Communities
To comment on the proposed structure of Healthy People
2010, visit
http://www.health.gov/healthypeople
Send written comments to:
Healthy People 2010
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Room 738G, Humphrey Building
200 Independence Avenue, SW.
Washington, DC 20201
Public Comment: September 15-December 15, 1997
Select here to go to ODPHP's home page.