Indianapolis, in. — The Alliance for a Healthier Indiana is hosting a series of town hall meetings in 2018 to discuss public health issues plaguing the state. Between April and October, the State of Our Health Road Show will stop in 17 Hoosier cities, from Fort Wayne and Evansville to East Chicago and Madison. The tour kicks off April 13 with the Indiana State of Our Health Summit in Indianapolis.
| · Indianapolis, Summit, April 13
· East Chicago, May 1 · Gary, May 2 · South Bend, May 3 · Fort Wayne, June 12 · Muncie, June 13 · Richmond, June 19 · Connersville, June 20 · Lafayette, July 11 |
· Logansport, July 25
· Evansville, August 1 · Terre Haute, August 9 · Vincennes, August 10 · Columbus, September 11 · Bloomington, September 12 · Madison, October 11 · Sellersburg, October 12 |
The Road Show will bring together local leaders, health care providers, and elected and other public officials for the purpose of sharing ideas to combat tobacco use, infant mortality, opioid abuse, and obesity. The town hall meetings also offer attendees the opportunity to hear about the Alliance’s plans for 2018 and beyond, with a focus on tackling tobacco use, which is the leading cause of preventable death in Indiana and costs the state $7.6 billion annually.
“The Alliance and its partners are committed to improving Hoosier health, but we need support and engagement from concerned communities to achieve our goals,” said Bryan Mills, CEO of Community Health Network and chair of the Alliance. “Our hope is that by meeting citizens and community leaders where they live and work and providing a forum for sharing ideas, we will build significant grassroots support for the Alliance and its priorities heading into the 2019 legislative session.”
The Road Show could not come at a more crucial time for the health of Hoosiers. Indiana ranks 38th in the nation in overall health, according to the 2017 America’s Health Rankings’ annual report. This low ranking can be attributed to the state’s poor performance in many important health metrics, including tobacco use, obesity, infant mortality, and opioid abuse.
“We cannot afford to take baby steps toward tackling the epidemics of tobacco use, obesity, opioid abuse, and infant mortality,” said Dr. Paul Halverson, founding dean of the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI. “We are taking our message statewide to make it clear that now is the time to make meaningful strides toward a healthier Indiana.”
One of the ways that Indiana can improve its health rankings—and in turn, its economy—is by investing more in public health and adopting laws that encourage healthy behaviors. Indiana has consistently ranked at the bottom in public health funding and currently ranks 49th, and it’s taking its toll on Indiana businesses. Taken together, tobacco use, the opioid epidemic, and obesity cost Indiana more than $10 billion in additional health care costs.
“Indiana’s poor health rankings and paltry funding for public health initiatives are detrimental to Hoosier health and the state’s economy,” said Kevin Brinegar, president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. “Poor health rankings contribute to higher health care spending, which poses challenges in both expanding current businesses and recruiting new business to the state. We encourage anyone who is passionate about making Indiana a healthy place to live, work, and raise a family to show their support at a Road Show town hall.”
The State of Our Health Road Show meetings are free and open to the public. Space is limited, and registration is required. The Alliance is looking for partners who are committed to addressing the public health issues affecting Hoosiers. For more information on the State of Our Health Road Show and becoming a partner, visit online here.
