Anonymous on 2/27/2009 9:21:12 AM
The healthy people initiatives have provided a great benefit to our society as a whole. I t is with great appreciation that I see that the intitiatives will contine into the next decade. I believe that proper pain mangement for the elderly must be advocated for in Healthy People 2020. It is only with good pain management that the quality of life for our older adults can be maintained.

Anonymous on 2/23/2009 1:58:05 PM
One of the comments below discusses the different methods to keeping a healthy nation would have to involve wellness for “the mind body and spirit”.  I completely support this idea because I think a lot of people tend to associate health with only the function of the body, and many people forget to focus on the importance of maintaining a healthy mind, which can have a tremendous effect on the health of the body.  The promotion of stress prevention and management should definitely be promoted, as well as the effects of sleep deprivation on the mind and body.

Leslie Brown on 2/19/2009 2:06:50 AM
I hope that our nation can come together and improve the lives of people. There are many people in the U.S. that are not as healthy as they should be, and changes should be made to fix these problems. People need better diets and eating habits to live longer and healthier lives. I feel that the fact that Healthy People 2010 is so informative and goal oriented that improving health can actually happen.

jmh on 2/11/2009 12:27:40 AM
I'm excited that we are coming together as a nation to meet the health needs of our country.  I think that goal 2, eliminating health disparities among different segments of the population is one of the most important.  Everyone should have access to quality health care.

Anonymous on 2/10/2009 10:02:54 AM
I agree with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, that QUALITY is more critical than QUANTITY - the suggestion of "Healthy People in Healthy Communities" also encompasses the points made by PolicyLink of a community vs individual approach, and rolls off the tongue much better than the proposed vision.

Lifting Legacies on 10/6/2008 12:22:55 PM
Healthy People 2010 should look at prevention and intervention for a variety of health topics and issues. Some things to keep in mind when seeking to improve the health of the nation: access to recovery based programs that deal with issues of drug abuse/alcoholism ( treatment facilities, detox beds, increase preventative measures in education efforts to schools and community), eating disorders ( treatment facilities, increase in awareness and preventative measures through education about what affects/influences these types of disorders), education about the conflicts with insurance and/or lack thereof, parenting classes and prenatal care education, mental health awareness, environmentally friendly practices that help improve our stay on this planet. Health covers the mind body and spirit- so there would have to be an approach that would honor all of these to find a healthy balance.

Erica on 9/30/2008 1:05:51 AM
Thank you for your desire for a healthy nation!  I am excited about Healthy People 2020.  Please remember that the Author of our health is God.  He created us and therefore knows us better than we know ourselves.  Please consider these verses as they apply directly to health:  "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise—"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth" (Ephesians 6:2-3).  Is "the next generation" honoring their father and mother?  "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine..." (Proverbs 17:22a).  Thank you for considering putting God First for great health!

PolicyLink on 9/18/2008 7:10:06 PM
We believe that the vision for Healthy People 2010 had strong merit and should not be completely abandoned in the new iteration of Healthy People 2020. While progress has been made, there is still much that needs to be done to meet the goals set by HP2010.  Thus, to set new standards while still leaving room to achieve previous goals, the vision from HP2010 could be integrated into the proposed vision for HP2020.  The “healthy communities” frame from HP2010, in particular, is a key prerequisite for having a healthier population and resonates with the goal for health equity that have been suggested under the draft vision for HP2020.  Moreover, this framing will pave the way for essential environmental and place-based strategies that create opportunities for the emergence of healthy communities.

Omitting the community component from the new vision gives the appearance of moving towards a more individualized approach to health as opposed to continuing to operate under a community based strategy.  Since so many American communities are in effect segregated by race as well as income with concentrated health disparities, improving community conditions could make a real difference in health outcomes for those who are most affected.  When policies and practices are put into place that improve the physical, economic, social and service conditions of communities, the health-related quality of life of residents of those communities also improves.  

A clear focus on community engagement promotes the philosophy of multiple sectors working together towards a common goal.  Individual health is compromised when neighborhoods are afflicted with risk factors such as lack of access to healthy foods, clean safe green spaces, poor transportation infrastructure, or decaying schools and homes, etc.  Conversely, neighborhoods may offer protective factors to help build and sustain community and individual health.  Safe, well-maintained parks can promote physical activity; access to healthy food can help reduce obesity and related diseases; clean air quality can reduce asthma; etc.  Community engagement is a prerequisite for place-based strategies and policymaking that is authentic in its approach and meaningful in terms of its impact.

Improving public health with a community orientation allows Healthy People to promote enduring, sustainable changes for the broader health of our nation.  Changes that affect the structural and cultural components of a neighborhood can lead to improvements for generations to come, not just for individuals.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist on 9/4/2008 4:37:55 PM
The length of life is not necessarily as important as the context of that life.  “Healthy people in healthy communities” is a strong vision that can be carried over to the next decade.  An alternative vision might be “a society working cooperatively for mutual health”

VF Gurley on 8/29/2008 6:11:44 PM
"healthy lives" may connote a vision that is limited to just physical well-being.  In the spirit of the WHO definition of health, it would be appropriate to explicitly include emotional, social and environmental well-being.

Anonymous on 8/27/2008 11:54:39 AM
In light of the unreached goals of Healthy People 2010, I suggest the second entry be revised. The "God-like" quality needed to "eliminate" preventable diseases, disability, injury and premature death is worth striving towards, but at the moment, the human experience does include sickness/health, birth/death, and we are all better served when there is an understanding of this complimentary/antagonistic fact of life instead of fighting against it. Does anyone REALLY believe this is totally under our control? 
Healthy people would be a natural result of a true understanding of how the imbalance (disease, disability, injury, premature death) occured and then strive to prevent its repitition. This is best achieved by inviting organizations (Counselors, Osteopaths, Nurses, Dentists) that have been offering ease to the diseased, ability to the disabled, and compassion to the loved ones of the departed. It may seem daunting to have so many different avenues of healing in one place, but their knowledge is integral to the success of this forum.

ClaraBartonWouldHaveACow on 7/12/2008 10:19:05 AM
The reality of not having any RNs on your committee is both professionally and socially irresponsible.  Nursing is the largest arm of health care delivery in this country.  This failure to recognize RNs critical role is not only poor policy but a detriment to care delivery and a slight to nurses in general.

Anonymous on 7/9/2008 4:56:32 PM
Your goal is to "promoting health and preventing disease" but yet you have no RN's on your committee.  A large part of our every day interaction with our patients is education.  You are missing valuable input from the actual individuals who represent, work and share your primary goal.

Anonymous on 6/10/2008 7:24:11 PM
In response to Rebecca King, President of the Delaware School Nurses Association: I agree with your statements.  Improving the ratio of school nurses to students is an excellent and cost effective method of improving the health of our youth.  School Nurses are well positioned and knowledgeable in health promotion and can thus do a great deal to promote healthy life-style choices of our youth and teach how to prevent adolescent pregnancy and STDs. 

I believe an emphasis on the "public health infrastructure" will benefit our nation in terms of risk reduction and promoting health.  Also, a robust public health infrastructure will make it much easier to respond quickly and appropriately to natural disasters or terrorist attacks.  It is a shame that our nation ranks among the very worst for infant mortality rates in the industrialized world, and even is worse than some third world nations.  This speaks volumes about the low priority we place on the health and well being of our people.

William A MacDonnell DDS on 6/1/2008 11:11:52 AM
Healthy People 2020 needs to address the Access to (Dental) Care Issue caused by pain, fear and anxiety. Forty-five (45,000,000) million Americans avoid routine dental care because of pain, fear and anxiety. This problem has never been addressed in the past. Healthy People 2010 did not address this important health care issue. It should be included in Healthy People 2020 especially because of all the data relation systemic diseases with dental disease. If dental patients avoid the dentist their underlying dental disease will not be addressed and their related systemic diseases will continue to be untreated. The following editorial: "Pain, Fear and Anxiety Control the 'Orphan' Barrier in the Access to (Dental) Care Problem was published in the JanFeb issue of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology's Pulse (http://www.adsahome.org/PulseJanFeb2008.Final.pdf):


Why haven’t pain, fear and anxiety been considered part of the equation in the access to (dental) care problem? When the Surgeon General, federal and state government agencies and organized dentistry address the “Access to Care” problem, pain, fear and anxiety are not included in the list of barriers to care. According to an ADA White Paper the major barriers to access to dental care are: 

1.	Low Medicaid Reimbursement
2.	Excessive paperwork and other administrative complexities
3.	Lack of  case management to assist patients in receiving care
4.	Poor oral health literacy and awareness about the importance of oral health
5.	The distribution or location of dentists within some states and local communities


The death of twelve year old Deamonte Driver from a dental abscess, in Prince George’s County, Maryland in February 2007, made national headlines. This is a prime example of the serious problems that a lack of access to care can create. Reader’s Digest (Sept 2007) explained the details of Deamonte’s dental and medical complications. For many months an attorney tried to locate a dentist willing to treat this young boy. His death was a result of the inability to provide access to dental care. Deamonte’s untimely and tragic death forced state and federal legislators to once again focus and address the Access to Dental Care Problem facing our country. This is an age old problem that responsible dentists and organized dentistry have been seeking to resolve. However, there is also an overlooked population of dental patients who are unable to access care because of pain, fear and anxiety. 

Dr. Joseph Carlisle (November – December 2007 President’s Message to the membership) made the statement: “… As an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, I see patients on a daily basis whose fear of dentistry brings them ultimately to my door for the removal of many and often all of their teeth. Fear of the dentist is one of the fundamental reasons that these patients are coming to me, instead of going to a general dentist for comprehensive dental care. Such fears and anxieties are often passed on from generation to generation, creating a never ending cycle of dental neglect, pain and suffering.” Pain, fear and anxiety are clearly the “sixth” barrier limiting access to care. 

My late father, a general dentist, always said “pain, fear and cost are the major reasons that patients avoid dental care. In the early 1970’s two of my mentors, both oral and maxillofacial surgeons, Dr. William Lucey of Bristol, CT and the late Dr. Robert O’Brien of Fall Church, VA, who was present at the meeting founding American Dental Society Anesthesiology (ADSA) in 1953, said that they extracted teeth that could be saved but there was no one to put the patient to sleep and restore those teeth. They encouraged me to study anesthesia as part of my dental education. ADSA President Carlisle has described the same access to care problem for patients: pain, fear and anxiety as did Drs Lucey and O’Brien almost forty (40) years ago.

Traditionally, low Medicaid reimbursement, poor oral health literacy and awareness, maldistribution of dentists, case management and excessive paperwork are considered the major factors preventing access to care. However, the American Medical Association and NIH estimate that fifteen percent (15%) of the population, 45 million people, avoid dental care because of pain, fear and anxiety. These obstacles cross all socioeconomic factors (race and ethnicity, education level, and income) yet neither the Surgeon General’s Healthy People 2010 nor the ADA White Paper: State and Community Models for Improving Access to Dental Care for the Underserved 2004” include pain, fear and anxiety as a barrier to accessing dental care. For these patients cost is not necessarily the stumbling block to access to care. 

Nationally there are too few dentists trained to provide dental care and treat sedated/anesthetized patients. There is a need for more dentists to be educated in minimal and moderate sedation and anesthesia. A simple solution to addressing this problem would be to increase the training of dentists in sedation/anesthesia. This would require changes in the dental school and the post graduate training program curriculum:

1.	All dental students should be taught “minimal” enteral and inhalational sedation.
2.	“Moderate” parenteral sedation “elective” courses could be offered to dental students similar to that which has been taught to dental students at the University of Pittsburgh since the mid 1970’s.
3.	 “Moderate” parenteral sedation training should be available to all dental residents desiring sedation training, especially those residents in general dentistry, AEGD, public health, prosthodontics and endodontics. The moderate parenteral sedation training could be based on the sedation training offered to periodontal and pediatric dental residents. 
4.	ADSA and ASDA should partner to develop appropriate education programs for dental educators to help supervise the clinical aspects of the teaching of “minimal” sedation at the undergraduate level. One current complaint is that there is not enough faculty trained in sedation/anesthesia. For that reason dental students and residents do not consider sedation/anesthesia for any non surgical procedures.
5.	The need for dental sedation/anesthesia educators has to be expanded. Each dental school and training program will need to have dental sedation/anesthesia educators specifically trained to need the sedation/anesthesia needs of their institutions.

These recommendations would, in time, increase dental phobic patients’ access to care. The number of periodontists offering parenteral sedation for their patients is increasing as a direct result of the inclusion of moderate parenteral sedation as part of their residency training programs. One could expect similar increases in the number of dentists and specialists providing sedation in their practices if moderate parenteral sedation training were offered in general practice, prosthodontic, public health and endodontic residencies.


We could shift the current paradigm by having the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon become the “gatekeeper”, referring patients in need of dental care with sedation/anesthesia to general dentists and other dental specialists. In some cases Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons have provided the needed sedation/anesthesia for other dentists in order to promote access to care. Over the years I have been privileged to have oral and maxillofacial surgeons refer their patients to other dentists with the recommendation that the dentist contact me for help with the patient’s sedation/anesthesia. It is very rewarding for all involved to help a dental cripple, similar to those patients described by Dr. Carlisle, find access to good dental health.  



The Connecticut State Dental Association (CSDA) is participating in discussions with Connecticut Public Broadcasting regarding a partnership to produce a series of public television programs addressing oral health issues, the relation

Donna Repaty on 5/30/2008 1:30:50 PM
As the coordinator of the Tobacco Cessation Cener of Northern New York, I would like to support the national effort to establish Healthy People 2020. The proposed vision and mission are comprehensive, and should encourage all relevant stakeholders and partners to participate in Healthy People 2020. The proposed overarching goals need to include health systems changes that deliver promotion and other services that are critical for improving longevity and reducing health disparities.  I would also offer for consideration a new overarching goal: "Support health system changes that promote good health for all."  Additionally, I would recommend that you revise 
overarching goal number three to state: "Strengthen and change social environments, physical environments and health systems so that they promote good health for all.” 

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this update of of the Health People 2020.  We all can make a difference.

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Anonymous on 5/29/2008 4:39:25 PM
Stress primary prevention, beginning at conception.  Our greatest impact on health outcomes will be through primary prevention efforts targeted for pregnant women, young children and their families. These efforts should include obesity prevention, maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle,  early childhood caries prevention, developmental and behavioral screening, assessment and anticipatory guidance.

Mary Ellen Casey on 5/27/2008 3:39:17 PM
On behalf of QuitWorks-RI, I would like to support the national effort to establish Healthy People 2020. The proposed vision and mission are comprehensive, and should encourage all relevant stakeholders and partners to participate in Healthy People 2020. The proposed overarching goals, however, do not seem to include health systems changes that are needed to deliver promotion and other services that are critical for improving longevity and reducing health disparities.

Please consider an overarching goal that would....“Support health system changes that promote good health for all.” 
I also request that you would consider revising "overarching goal number three to say...“Strengthen and change social environments, physical environments and health systems so that they promote good health for all.”

Julie Z on 5/23/2008 4:27:58 PM
As a coordinator of a New York State Department of Health Tobacco Control Program funded Tobacco Cessation Center, I would like to support the national effort to establish Healthy People 2020. The proposed vision and mission are comprehensive, and should encourage all relevant stakeholders and partners to participate in Healthy People 2020.  It is vital that the overarching goals include a provision to include health systems changes; as health systems changes deliver a sustainable methodology to deliver promotion and other services that are critical for improving longevity and reducing health disparities.

Anonymous on 5/22/2008 11:14:24 AM
I am the Coordinator of the Tobacco Cessation Center at St. Joseph's Hospital, which is an urban hospital in NYS. Our hospital houses and staffs one of the 19 Tobacco Cessation Centers appointed by the NYS Department of Health. On behalf of our Cessation Center, I would like to support the national effort to establish Healthy People 2020. The vision and mission which are proposed are certainly ambitious, and will appeal to those of us working in health care who chose to approach health care in a holistic sense, with disease prevention and health promotion as a priority. Although worthy of consideration as proposed, there is one critical piece missing. In my experience as a change agent in health care, I have found through working with health care providers, in order to foster ongoing sustainability in areas of health care delivery, a systems change is a necessary component. Without a systems change, health care delivery is transient, focused on trends and personal agendas. As proposed, these goals do not support permanent changes in health care delivery, and they will not reduce death and dying as health care disparities continue to thrive while others reap the benefits of a privileged health care delivey system. Systems changes (including social and environmental changes that promote better health for all) need to be included in as part of a comprehensive Healthy People 2020 agenda. 

Thank you for this opportunity to share my perspectives on Healthy People 2020, as an experienced health care professional.

Rebecca King RN President Delaware School Nurses A on 5/21/2008 2:44:06 PM
We all know that healthier children are better learners. The children who will graduate in 2020 are our current Kindergarten students. One of the goals of the Delaware School Nurses Association (DSNA) is to improve the health and educational success of school children and provide leadership to advance school nursing practice. We want to see these children and their families live long, healthy lives. 
The school nurses in Delaware were polled about their concerns for Healthy People 2020 and many of those concerns echo those recently released in our “Kids Count 2007 Delaware Data Fact Book”. Tops on the list were: 
•	Children living in poverty
•	Children and adults without health insurance/Access to care
Other priorities for our school nurses included: 
•	Mental health/substance abuse
•	School safety/emergency preparedness
•	Obesity/nutrition/physical activity 
•	Dental care
•	Immunizations
•	Special education and students with disabilities
•	Environmental health
•	The school nurse: student ratio
•	Efficient, coordinated electronic record documentation and data collection
An article I recently read referenced Duke psychologist Barbara Burns as saying schools are the “default mental health system”. In fact schools today are the complete default general health care system for kids. And sadly school nurses are being called upon to do more and more, but with less and less. 
A child in school today needs expertise care and attention that involves close, skilled, detailed care and treatment of many complex and chronic physical and psycho-social conditions. And we just don’t care for the kids – we have families and our school staff members also seeking our care.  
Health policy decision makers are really unfamiliar with our “hidden” healthcare system that exists in schools. There is a huge knowledge deficit of the types and frequencies of health services delivered today in schools. School health data needs to be captured in national data sets. Delaware does to some degree collect statewide school data but the findings cannot be generalized because the model of a school nurse in every school does not exist nationwide. Even though we are proud to have a school nurse in every school the ratios remain inequitable and we struggle to meet every student’s needs. 
No Child Left Behind’s legislation did put a spotlight on failing schools. But now we need to put a spotlight on those failing schools and look more closely at their data and establish connections to WHY they are failing. Then we need to use that data to drive and prioritize decisions on programs and health services and the funding. Funding for health services is NOT a priority in education budgets. But the hidden health care system that is in our schools needs help! 
Health, the community and education have equal gains when a child doesn’t miss school because their asthma is controlled, when a child with diabetes has well managed blood sugar readings, and when a child can come to school and feel safe and not threatened, etc. 
Early, effective intervention resulting from data driven decisions is key to successful healthy learners who will grow up to be healthy productive adults.

Todd Hill on 5/13/2008 8:43:17 AM
On behalf of [name of your organization], I would like to support the national effort to establish Healthy People 2020. The proposed vision and mission are comprehensive, and should encourage all relevant stakeholders and partners to participate in Healthy People 2020. The proposed overarching goals, however, do not seem to include health systems changes that are needed to deliver promotion and other services that are critical for improving longevity and reducing health disparities.

We also recommend that you add a new overarching goal:
	“Support health system changes that promote good health for all.” 

Alternatively, we recommend that you revise overarching goal number three to state 
	“Strengthen and change social environments, physical environments and health systems so that they promote good health for all.”

Arizona Department of Health Services on 5/1/2008 7:40:53 PM
Our recommendation would be to substitute ‘long’ for ‘productive’.  Thanks to the advances in science and technology, in the aggregate in the US we are already living longer lives.  Therefore, we would suggest that the emphasis be on what we are capable of doing throughout the extended number of years being lived, i.e.: the quality of life, as opposed to extending the absolute number of years being lived.

Given that there is an emphasis on health determinants and risk factors, and building on the previous emphasis on decreasing disparities in health, we would also suggest adding ‘…all people have the opportunity to live…’.  This emphasizes that we are working a population-level health.  For example, individuals may choose to smoke, which we know increases the risk of shortening one’s life, but because we are developing policies and programs taking into consideration all population subgroups, we are giving the ‘opportunity’ to lead a long and healthy life.

Anonymous on 4/30/2008 7:13:37 PM
I feel it is in severe distaste for Healthy People 2010 not to include a Registered Nurse on the committee. I name D'Ann Jacobs, RN, BSN as the perfect RN to serve on your committee.

National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health on 4/30/2008 9:40:08 AM
The vision of Healthy People 2010, although noble, is too lofty and lacks direction in which measures can be used to achieve objectives that would allow individuals to live long and healthy lives, especially if this vision would be meant for 2020 specifically and not the overall Healthy People initiative.  Therefore the vision for Healthy People 2020 should be a vision that characterizes what we expect 2020 to look like, not what the U.S. would look like when we no longer require Healthy People goals.

Anonymous on 4/9/2008 4:47:07 PM
In addition to the importance of recognizing elderly Americans' healthy lifestyle needs, Healthy People 2020 must address the disparities that exist in treating those who are in the last stages of life.  Hospice care is used disproportionately by whites; pain, a very common symptom of chronic disease, continues to be more undertreated in minority populations and among women; recent studies have demonstrated that the overuse of specialists in many geographic areas (such as urban areas where there are high concentrations of people of color) do not help patient outcomes in the last years of life, and contribute to lower quality of life (such as more ICU stays).

Anonymous on 4/7/2008 12:40:54 PM
Special consideration should be made for the growing aging population in America.  (20% of the population in 2020 will be over 65) This population is vulnerable and impacted by the elements of a healthy life style, nutrition and activity.  Older adults have specific nutritional needs to address,  additionally they have more barriers to obtaining health information.  Seniors utilize the medical network more than any other specific poulation group.  By all means address children and families but please do not forget the invisible senior population.

Anonymous on 4/4/2008 11:10:49 AM
Nurses are repeatedly the "most trusted" profession in our nation... the public recognizes the dedication and care provided somewhere, to someone, every minute, by the nearly 3 million nurses across every community in America.  Certainly such well deserved respect would earn nurses a place at the table... Historically, nurses were providing "health education" long before it was considered a separate discipline...nurses are the largest segment of the healthcare workforce. And they are the profession best positioned to become the "change agents" that will be needed to effectively shift our nation to a culture of prevention.  Our nation's nurses are a National Treasure...respect them,  value them... and certainly include them in any organized effort to promote prevention... to do anything else is a missed opportunity.  The growing grassroots nursing movement to establish an Office of the National Nurse for Prevention provides an excellent model for progress toward the goals of Healthy People.  More information is at www.nationalnurse.org.  Join and support this movement!

Dr. Jane Kapustin on 4/4/2008 7:59:33 AM
The Healthy People 2020 initiative is missing a huge component of the healthcare team on the advisory board--nurses!  I am puzzled about this oversight.  Registered nurses promote every single initiative outlined in this proposed document, and they have done so for years.  Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare team in the United States, and not having adequate representation on this task force is an injustice to our profession.  More importantly, it serves to undermine the over arching goals of this initiative to educate our citizens and promote health.  Nurses are regarded as the most trusted professionals in the United States; our presence is needed to successfully meet the program's objectives.  Please consider adding nurses to this advisory committee.

Tim Davis RN on 4/2/2008 9:13:37 PM
I apologize for not signing in before posting the comment below.  Anonymous on 4/2/2008 9:09.24PM

Anonymous on 4/2/2008 9:09:24 PM
The vision is unattainable for most Americans.  "A society in which all people live a productive, meaningful life, with the support of a collaborative health care system," would be more appropriate.  

Nurses have been promoting health in organizations, schools, communities, and society for more than a hundred years.  It is not what health care can do that is important; it is how it is provided to all the people with compassion, dignity and impartiality.  The medical system as it stand now does nothing for health, it is an illness care system that limits access to those who are exceedingly ill or if you have a strong advocate and the right insurance or enough money you may enter when you are becoming ill.  

A true health care system spends the resources to promote health, screen for detectable diseases early so that they can be cured or controlled before the person becomes sick.  A true health care system promotes healthy life styles, educates, and provides incentives for individuals and organizations to choose health.  It is teaching healthy choices to the next generation starting early in school, promotion of a balanced diet, exercise, stress relief and respectful relationships.  

Nurses and nursing has been and will continue promote health in the same quit, respectful and profession manner that has allowed nursing to become the most respected profession.  With this statement I am appalled that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has chosen to ignore the contributions of nursing, a nurse needs to be on the Advisory Committee.

Anonymous on 3/31/2008 12:22:39 PM
I would like to comment on the lack of a registered nurse on the Secretary's Advisory Committee. I teach community health nursing courses to registered nurses who are completing their BSN degree. The major component of these courses have been and are the Healthy People 2000 and 2010 objectives and will be the 2020 objectives. Their capstone project is to implement an activity that will assist in addressing an objective that is assessed as a prevalent health need of the citizens living in their community. With this in mind, I find not having a registered nurse on this committee unsconscionable. What message does this send to registered nurses and nursing students? Both will see that leaders in the nursing profession are not valued enough or knowledgeable enough to take part in developing a vision and a plan for the health of this nation's citizens. Since nurses are at the forefront of health promotion and disease prevention and are team members of those implementing activities to assure that our citizens "live long and healthy lives" then I implore you to consider having registered nurses on this committee.