[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 154 (Friday, August 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46298-46299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18299]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Solicitation for Written Comments on the Development of Healthy 
People 2020

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Disease 
Prevention and Health Promotion.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 200u.

SUMMARY: The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), 
Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS), U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS), is soliciting written comments on key 
elements of Healthy People 2020, including the vision, mission, 
overarching goals and framework. Every 10 years, through the Healthy 
People initiative, HHS leverages scientific insights and lessons from 
the past decade, along with the new knowledge of current data, trends, 
and innovations to develop the next iteration of national health 
promotion and disease prevention objectives. Healthy People provides 
science-based, 10-year national objectives for promoting health and 
preventing disease. Since 1979, Healthy People has set and monitored 
national health objectives to meet a broad range of health needs, 
encourage collaborations across sectors, guide individuals toward 
making informed health decisions, and measure the impact of our 
prevention and health promotion activities. Healthy People 2020 will 
reflect assessments of major risks to health and wellness, changing 
public health priorities, and emerging issues related to our nation's 
health preparedness and prevention.
    Background: The Healthy People process is inclusive: its strength 
is directly tied to collaboration. The development process strives to 
maximize transparency, public input and stakeholder dialogue to ensure 
that Healthy People 2020 is relevant to diverse public health needs and 
seizes opportunities to achieve its goals. Since its inception, Healthy 
People has become a broad-based, public engagement initiative with 
thousands of citizens helping to shape it at every step along the way. 
Drawing on the expertise of a Secretary's Advisory Committee on 
National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 
and public input, Healthy People will organize and establish a 
framework to address risk factors and determinants of health and the 
diseases and disorders that are affecting our communities.
    Public participation will shape Healthy People 2020, its purpose, 
goals, organization, and action plans. HHS has sought input from 
communities and stakeholders across the nation through six regional 
meetings and is soliciting written public comments on the development 
of Healthy People 2020 through an online public comment database. As a 
national initiative, Healthy People's success depends on a coordinated 
commitment to improve the health of the nation. Individuals may 
subscribe to the listserv at: http://www.healthypeople.gov/Contact for 
the latest information on Healthy People 2020 and to receive email 
notices of related Healthy People 2020. Healthy People 2020 will be 
released in two-phases. The vision, mission, overarching goals, and 
organizing framework will be released in late 2008-early 2009. A year 
later, in January 2010, the specific Healthy People 2020 objectives 
with baselines and targets will be released.

DATES: In order for comments on the proposed vision, mission, 
overarching goals, and framework for Healthy People 2020 to be 
considered by the Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health 
Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020, written comments 
must be submitted via the Internet at the Healthy People Web site 
http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/comments by the close of business 
Eastern Daylight Time on September 2, 2008. Comments submitted to the 
Web site after September 2, 2008 and before September 15, 2008 will be 
considered by HHS but not reviewed by the Secretary's Advisory 
Committee.

ADDRESSES: The proposed vision, mission, overarching goals, and 
framework for Healthy People 2020 can be viewed and commented on at 
http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/Comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E-mail the Office of Disease 
Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of Public Health and Science, 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at [email protected] or to 
Hilary Scherer at [email protected] (e-mail), (301) 634-9374 (phone) or 
(301) 634-9301 (fax).


[[Page 46299]]


    Dated: July 24, 2008.
Penelope Slade Royall,
RADM, USPHS, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, (Disease Prevention 
and Health Promotion).
[FR Doc. E8-18299 Filed 8-7-08; 8:45 am]
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