The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to examine three topics in relation to public health: measurement, the law, and funding. IOM prepared a three report series--one report on each topic--that contains actionable recommendations for public health agencies and other stakeholders with roles in the health of the U.S. population.

For the Public's Health: Investing in a Healthier Future, the final book in the series, assesses the financial challenges facing the governmental public health infrastructure. The book provides recommendations about what is needed for stable and sustainable funding, and for its optimal use by public health agencies.

Building on the other two volumes in the series, this book makes the argument that adequate and sustainable funding for public health is necessary to enable public health departments across the country to inform and mobilize action on the determinants of health, to play other key roles in protecting and promoting health, and to prepare for a range of potential threats to population health.

The final book in the For the Public's Health series will be useful to federal, state, and local governments; public health agencies; clinical care organizations; and community-based organizations.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE HEALTH
• Reviewers
• Acknowledgments
• Preface: Introduction to the Series of Reports
• Summary
  • ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS FOR A RENEWED PUBLIC HEALTH ENTERPRISE AND A HEALTHY NATION
  • REFORMING PUBLIC HEALTH AND ITS FINANCING
  • INFORMING INVESTMENT IN HEALTH
  • FUNDING SOURCES AND STRUCTURES TO BUILD PUBLIC HEALTH
  • CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• 1. Introduction and Context
  • THE REPORT’S SCOPE
  • THE NATION’S HEALTH
  • SETTING A NATIONAL TARGET FOR IMPROVED HEALTH
  • THE CENTRALITY OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN ACHIEVING HEALTH SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT
  • CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• 2. Reforming Public Health and Its Financing
  • THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION
  • DYSFUNCTION OF THE CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING SYSTEM
  • DEFINING THE MINIMUM PACKAGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES
  • USING FINANCING REFORM TO STRENGTHEN 21ST CENTURY PUBLIC HEALTH
  • THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLINICAL MEDICINE: A NEW PARTNERSHIP
  • FINANCING AND REFASHIONING PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS
  • REFERENCES
• 3. Informing Investment in Health
  • A NEED FOR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH
  • DATA AND INFORMATION TO SUPPORT PRACTICE
  • CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• 4. Funding Sources and Structures to Build Public Health
  • CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING
  • ESTIMATES OF NEED.
  • NEW FUNDING SOURCES
  • CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• Appendix A Acronyms
• Appendix B The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Opportunities for Public Health Agencies and Population Health
• Appendix C Financing Mission-Critical Investments in Public Health Capacity Development
• Appendix D Financing State and Local Public Health Departments: A Problem of Chronic Illness
• Appendix E Funding Diagram for Public Health
• Appendix F For the Public’s Health: The Role of Measurement in Action and Accountability
• Appendix G For the Public’s Health: Revitalizing Law and Policy to Meet New Challenges
• Appendix H Meetings Agendas
• Appendix I Committee Biosketches

This study was supported by Contract 65863 between the National Academy of Sciences and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.

Suggested citation:

IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2012. For the Public’s Health: Investing in a Healthier Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.