ODPHP Director

A health equity mindset will help us make real strides in mitigating the negative effects of the national epidemic of loneliness and social isolation. That means deeply examining the special needs and challenges of groups with higher risk, such as certain racial and ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ people, rural residents, groups who experience other forms of discrimination, and survivors of domestic violence.

Health and Well-Being Matter is the monthly blog of the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. This month RDML Reed welcomes Paolo del Vecchio, MSW, Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Recovery, and his insights on health and well-being in the context of recovery.

As childhood vaccination rates decline in the U.S., the urgency to help parents and caregivers understand the truth about the role vaccines play in supporting children’s health is all the more imperative. With the start of the new school year, doing so becomes even more relevant if we are to avoid outbreaks of preventable diseases.

“Twelve years ago, we asked ourselves the question, ‘Can a community be healthy if its seniors are not?’ That led us to our first spotlight report, and several have come since then.” - Dr. Rhonda Randall, Senior Medical Advisor to America’s Health Rankings & United Health Foundation Board MemberI am happy to introduce another entry in our quarterly vlog series, where we engage with partners in the public and private sectors to discuss the ways in which we can collaborate to advance our collective mission to promote greater health equity and well-being for all people...