During 2019, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) has tracked the progress of many of the plans governors outlined in their 2019 state of the state and inaugural addresses that focused on the social and economic factors that influence health. The governors’ initiatives included social inequity, housing, education, the environment, jobs, and other priorities.
In addition to identifying new initiatives, 10 governors unveiled plans to reconfigure their cabinets to better address the conditions that affect health. They proposed cross-agency and public-private collaborations to leverage siloed state resources and coordinate services more efficiently.
In recent months, NASHP has highlighted states that have followed up with initiatives and policies to implement their governors’ and legislatures’ shared goals through the use of executive orders, legislation, or budget appropriations. These analyses are captured in the following NASHP blogs that provide a snapshot of some of the innovative approaches states are taking:
- States Take the Lead to Address Climate Change, December 2019
- Minnesota and Indiana Governors Work to Improve Social Equity and Health in Every Zip Code, September 2019
- States Take Action to Improve Health through Housing, August 2019
- States Take Action to Improve and Expand Early Childhood Education, June 2019 and
- Across the Nation, State Leaders Are Tackling the Global Issue of Environmental Protection, May 2019
In 2020, NASHP looks forward to following these and other innovations as state leaders identify new approaches and take additional actions. NASHP seeks to showcase states that are looking upstream to tackle these issues. Please email jrosenthal@nashp.org information about your state’s progress so we can share your accomplishments nationally.
