HHS Communities Putting Prevention to Work Initiative

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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 states that “$650M shall be provided to carry out evidence-based clinical and community-based prevention and wellness strategies authorized by the Public Health Service Act that deliver specific, measurable health outcomes that address chronic disease rates.” The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has developed an initiative in response to the Act. The goal of the HHS initiative – Communities Putting Prevention to Work – is to reduce risk factors and prevent/delay chronic disease and promote wellness in both children and adults. The initiative was launched by HHS in a press briefing held on September 17, 2009.

Communities Putting Prevention to Work will expand the use of evidence-based strategies and programs, mobilize local resources at the community-level, and strengthen the capacity of states. The initiative has a strong emphasis on policy and environmental change at both the state and local levels and will:

1. Increase levels of physical activity;
2. Improve nutrition;
3. Decrease obesity rates; and
4. Decrease smoking prevalence, teen smoking initiation, and exposure to second-hand smoke.

The program has four distinct but unified initiatives: a Community Initiative, a States and Territories Policy and Environmental Change Initiative, a States Chronic Disease Self-Management Initiative, and a National Prevention Media and National Organizations Initiative.

Community Initiative

Nearly $450 million is allotted for intensive community approaches to chronic disease prevention and control in selected communities (urban, rural, and tribal). These funds will include grants to communities ($373 million), as well as providing community support and evaluation support ($76 million). These awards were announced on March 19, 2010.

States and Territories Policy and Environmental Change Initiative

$120 million will support States and Territories in promoting wellness and preventing chronic disease through state-wide policy and environmental change for chronic disease prevention and to increase tobacco cessation through expanded quit lines and tobacco cessation media.  These awards were announced on February 5, 2010.

States Chronic Disease Self Management Initiative

$32.5 million will support state chronic disease self-management programs.  HHS’  Administration on Aging will leverage the public health and aging networks at the state and community level to deploy evidence-based prevention programs targeted at the elderly.  These awards are expected to be announced in Spring 2010.

National Prevention and Media Initiative

$40 million ($30 million for media and $10 million for organizations) will establish a National Prevention Media Initiative and a National Organizations Initiative to foster effective and hard-hitting prevention and wellness messages and advertisements, amplified and extended through national organizations, to complement and reinforce community and State activities.  These activities are expected to be awarded in Spring 2010.

Grantee Information

• Grantees by Program
• Grantees by State