Happy National Public Health Week (NPHW)! Bringing communities together to raise awareness of public health and prevention, the American Public Health Association (APHA) has been celebrating NPHW every April since 1995. This year’s theme, Public Health ROI: Save Lives, Save Money, recognizes the return on investments (ROI) of public health programs that result in healthier communities.
“Good health does not happen by chance. Good health is shaped and nurtured. Good health is tied to the resources available in our communities. It is linked to a person’s access to healthcare. This year NPHW reminds us that when we invest in public health we get big returns,“ said U.S. Surgeon General, Regina Benjamin, M.D., in a video for NPHW.
The impact and ROI of Community Health Centers has long been documented. They play a very vital role in making communities healthier by providing one-quarter of all primary care visits for the nation’s low-income population. Through a comprehensive and affordable approach to care, that includes primary and preventative care, they save the health system billions of dollars each year by reducing unnecessary ER visits. Health Centers also provide other services that benefit people and their local communities like nutritional counseling, and dental care, etc. These are just a few ways Community Health Centers save lives and save money.
For National Public Health Week APHA is celebrating with events happening across the country, a Twitter Chat, and a road tour. They are also asking communities to raise awareness of the value of investing in public health and prevention by observing the following daily themes:
Monday, April 1: Ensuring a Safe, Healthy Home for Your Family: Health and safety begin at home. Make prevention a fun family tradition.
Tuesday, April 2: Providing a Safe Environment for Children at School: Schools are the perfect setting for improving child health. Plus, children’s health is a rallying point few can ignore.
Wednesday, April 3: Creating a Healthy Workplace: Wellness and safety in the workplace are good for health and for business. Let’s make prevention work for us.
Thursday, April 4: Protecting You While You’re on the Move: Safety on the go is often in our own hands, but it’s also tied to community design. Together, we can turn our streets into roads to better health.
Friday, April 5: Empowering a Healthy Community: Support public health efforts that create healthy opportunities for all. Good health is a community affair.