Addiction & Overdose
Soaring rates of overdose are threatening the health and vitality of communities across the country. The urgency of the addiction and overdose crisis demands public health strategies that prevent substance use, reduce the risk of overdose and health problems associated with substance use, and boost access to effective treatment for people with substance use disorders.
Adolescent Health
One in nine young people in the U.S. is disconnected from school or work — leaving them vulnerable to a broad set of health challenges. Public health tools can improve our understanding of the risk factors that lead to disconnection and help us design systemic solutions that reengage young people.
Environmental Challenges
Our natural environment and our built environment profoundly affect our health. We can protect ourselves and future generations by using public health tools to design and shape healthy communities.
Food Systems for Health
Since the 1970s, obesity rates have more than tripled. The current food system undermines the ability of millions of Americans to make healthy dietary choices. Public health tools can inform changes to policy and the design of local food systems in order to promote access to nutritious foods.
Violence
Like an infectious disease, violence can spread through a community, leaving devastation in its wake. Public health tools can help us better understand the causes of and solutions to violence and inform a comprehensive agenda to improve community safety.
Public Health Themes
Our Work is Rooted Equity, Evidence and Policy
Equity
Low-income communities and communities of color disproportionately experience illness and mortality from many different health challenges. Progress and justice require understanding and confronting these inequities directly.
Learn moreEquity
Evidence
Good intentions do not guarantee successful outcomes. It’s essential to study whether interventions, programs and policies work. Developing new tools to support more frequent and effective use of evidence is a critical goal for the Initiative.
Learn moreEvidence
Policy
Moving the needle in the Initiative’s focus areas requires engaging a broad coalition of actors from the research, policy, practice and academic fields to design, implement, evaluate and advocate for evidence-based policy solutions.
Learn morePolicy
Stay Connected to the Initiative
Receive all the latest news from the Initiative by following us on Twitter, signing up for the American Health Dispatch newsletter, subscribing to the American Health Podcast, and subscribing to our YouTube channel.
Contact Us