Policy and Practice February 2017

BUILDING ALLIANCES BETWEENPUBLIC HEALTH ANDHUMAN SERVICES PROFESSIONALS

ByMary Ann Cooney

R

ecently I was asked, “What is the difference between population health and public health?” After working for 30 years in public health, I should have been able to respond quickly with an elevator speech that rolled off my tongue. Instead, I paused for a long moment and thought carefully about my answer. I’d just given a presentation highlighting the ways in which state public health and human services agencies are begin- ning to work together to improve population health. I challenged the audience—mostly leaders in human services agencies and organizations—to think more proactively and commit to reaching out to their public health partners to plan, develop, and implement policies and practices to improve population health.

Then came that question from a member of the audience.

Photo illustration by Chris Campbell

February 2017 Policy&Practice 21