Trust for America's Health Initiatives

Public Health Funding

Public Health Funding

Protecting the health and safety of Americans should be the top responsibility of our nation's leaders. But experts say the country currently does not devote the resources needed to adequately help prevent disease and protect the health of Americans. Consequently, serious gaps exist in the nation's ability to safeguard health, putting our families, communities, states, and nation at risk.

TFAH tracks annual federal and state spending on public health in its Shortchanging America's Health report, and provides recommendations for increasing accountability so we can be sure taxpayer dollars are being used effectively to improve our nation's health.

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Policy and Advocacy

For TFAH position statements and letters, congressional hearings, briefings and testimony, and additional policy and advocacy materials, click here.

Press Releases

May 16, 2013
TFAH’s Statement on Farm Bill Legislation in the House and Senate: Much Should be Improved

April 12, 2013
TFAH’s Statement on the Reallocation of Portions of the Prevention and Public Health Fund

March 20, 2013
On Third Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, TFAH Launches Story Bank of Prevention Success Stories from Around the Country

January 29, 2013
New Report Provides High-Impact Recommendations to Improve Prevention Policies in America

January 24, 2013
New Report Calls for Federal Action to Close Achievement Gap by Addressing School Health
Health in Mind Features Solutions to Public Education and Health Challenges

More press releases

Resources

Selected items from TFAH's Resource Library:

Community Transformation Grants (CTGs): Promoting Proven Strategies to Fight Chronic Diseases
Community Transformation Grants, one major initiative funded under the Prevention and Public Health Fund, are targeted at addressing the leading causes of chronic diseases to improve the health of Americans and reduce health care costs over the long term. The investments being made are critical to make sure people can take personal responsibility for their health care, outside of the doctor’s office, and allow individual communities to address their greatest health needs. CTGs will benefit more than one in three Americans, approximately 145 million people.

Half of Americans Could Be Obese By 2030… Or We Could Invest In The Prevention Fund
Half of Americans could be obese By 2030...or we could invest in the Prevention Fund. An analysis conducted by the National Heart Forum, based on a peer-reviewed model published last year in The Lancet, estimates that that 50 percent of Americans are on track to be obese in the next 20 years.1 Obesity could even top 60 percent in 13 states. Right now, 36 percent of Americans are obese.

The National Report Card on Protecting Children During Disasters,
A Major Gap in More than Half of the States' Disaster Preparedness Regulations for Child Care Facilities Puts Many Vulnerable Children at Risk, Save the Children Reports. Called "The National Report Card on Protecting Children During Disasters," the report assesses all 50 states and the District of Columbia on four basic disaster preparedness and safety standards for children in child care and at school. Three of the standards focus on child care facilities and the fourth is for schools.

The Prevention and Public Health Fund: For A Healthier America
Prevention saves lives, reduces health care costs, and makes the country a healthier, more productive place. More than half of Americans live with at least one serious preventable health condition, like diabetes or heart disease, which forces taxpayers to spend billions of dollars a year on health care. And, today’s children are in danger of becoming the first generation in American history to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents. The Prevention and Public Health Fund enables communities around the country to invest in proven strategies to improve health. That’s why the Fund has the support of more than 760 national, state and local organizations.

The Prevention Fund: A Matter of Life and Death ad version 1
Shouldn’t America try to prevent diseases, instead of just treating people after they’re already sick, and it’s often too late? Just three of the reasons why the Prevention Fund is deadly serious.

More resources