Summary
The health of Californians is vital to the health of California: our workforce, our economy, our healthcare costs, and our children's future all depend on people living in healthy, thriving communities. Every decision we make impacts our health--from transit to education to new technology investments-and we must commit as a state to ensuring that every policy and decision we make will better the health of Californians. The momentum is starting to build:
In Richmond, community advocates in this heavily industrial city worked closely with redevelopment and public health staff to improve local air quality, documenting the effects of diesel truck traffic in residential neighborhoods and mapping new routes for the polluting vehicles.
In San Jose, when residents urged the local redevelopment agency to pay more attention to neighborhood safety, a strong community coalition was born-generating a host of successful proposals, including simply building a sidewalk to help make a crime-ridden playground more safe and accessible.
In San Diego, a federally-funded Beacon Community is launching a program that aims to better heart attack and stroke outcomes by empowering patients to engage in their own health management through online and cell phone technology.
Californians need leaders committed to protecting and improving everyone's health. The recommendations and core principles in this document reflect the shared thinking of the signatories, leaders from organizations across California focused on public health and health care access and quality.
California's policymakers and health stakeholders are encouraged to:
- Support the core principles of equity and fairness, effective governance, and health in all policies.
- Use these principles as a lens to evaluate and discuss health issues.
- Advance the recommendations for improvement in: Health Care Access and Quality, Promoting Safety in Homes and Communities, and Preventing Chronic Disease.
- Share these principles and recommendations broadly.