Only through this kind of meaningful engagement can communities fully mobilize the willingness and capacity of citizens to create positive change. Although many Americans are ready to connect with community more fully, most need to see a clear relationship between their work and tangible results on issues they care about. Based in Chicago at the Health Research and Education Trust of the American Hospital Association, the CHCC itself is a broad-based coalition of national and regional organizations acting in service to local coalitions. The CHCC has in recent years also developed a states' network with liaisons sharing promising practices and results between leaders at the community and national level. As a nation, we are learning that growing a healthy community is a lifelong process-one that requires our constant nurturing and vigilance.
Healthy communities result from healthy choices and environments that support shared responsibility.
And everyone has a role to play in building a healthier, more vibrant community. The choices we make at home, work, school, play, and worship determine most of what creates personal health and community vitality. To a great extent it's about how we spend our time, dollars, and talents. But it's also about how we create settings in our communities, which result in healthier, indeed wealthier communities. A renewed emphasis on the relationships between economic, social, and political factors and health status is transforming local leaders' perspectives on identifying the most leveraged loci of change in health improvement.