Good Health Begins in Our Own Communities

Good health begins at home and in our own communities. But unfortunately, in too many communities today, healthy choices are neither easy nor affordable. This means that despite her best efforts, a mother is hard pressed to find healthy, affordable food for her children in her city neighborhood. And a father living in a rural community might not have the information and tools to routinely monitor and manage his high blood pressure. These all-too-real situations help explain why seven out of ten deaths among Americans each year are from chronic diseases. And half of all adults have at least one chronic illness.

We can do better. You and your neighbors know what works best in your own community. And often it takes a group of committed, local, hard-working Americans to make some of the biggest changes. By investing in our communities, Americans will be empowered to make better choices and lead longer, healthier lives.

Earlier this week, Community Transformation Grants were distributed to 61 states and communities with more than 120 million residents to help keep people safe from the threats of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and other leading causes of illness and death. Made possible by the Affordable Care Act, these grants will help communities tackle the root causes of chronic disease such as smoking, poor nutrition, and lack of physical activity. These grants will build on successful programs that have been proven to improve health.

The Community Transformation Grants have been distributed to a wide variety of State and local government agencies, tribes and territories, and non-profit organizations to focus on important contributors to health, including:

Tobacco free living � Some grantees are working to implement tobacco-free and other effective policies to reduce tobacco use � the leading preventable cause of death.Active living and healthy eating � Other grantees are making sure kids get healthier foods and beverages in schools and investing in bike share programs in their communities.Quality clinical and other preventive services � Some grantees are developing monitoring tools based on evidence-based practices. Care teams and patient navigators will use these tools to help patients control their blood pressure.

These are just a few of the innovative and exciting new ways States and communities will use their Community Transformation Grant to make their community a healthier and safer place to live. By targeting these three areas, we can make the places Americans live, work, play, and go to school healthier. Improving health and wellness in communities across our country will help lower costs and reduce health disparities. We look forward to expanding community networks and identifying new and creative community-based solutions to improve the he alth of Americans nationwide.