From the President

Since 1992, the mission of the Washington Health Foundation (WHF) has been to improve health for the people of Washington. To do that, our statewide civic engagement campaign focuses on the education and actions necessary to make Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation.

Yet, as the Healthiest State Campaign has continued to gain momentum within our own borders, it has begun attracting national attention. WHF has been asked if its campaign is broad enough in action to address the national barriers to major health progress. And, in meeting with our congressional delegation in February, we found that our own state's leaders were interested in hearing from us on federal policy issues. So we are beginning to speak up.

With WHF's successful development of a state health policy and advocacy agenda, we are now turning our attention to the federal issues that also need attention. Just as with our state policy agenda, we will select a small group of issues on which we can make a big impact. To start, I will be participating as a delegate in a national summit on obesity next month in Washington, D.C.

I am pleased that we are adding a federal policy and advocacy agenda to the Healthiest State Campaign's reach, but, having spent some years working in D.C. on health policy issues, I also understand how difficult it is to create change in our nation's capital. Therefore, I am even more excited about how WHF is beginning to use some of the creative change tools developed for Washington state on a larger, national scale.

That is to announce: WHF is making its free personal health database available to all of the fifty states — at HealthiestState.net. This national version of our in-state website provides a landing page for each state that includes its health ranking data. Residents of any state can click on their home state on the U.S. map to find "healthiest state" information for their state. I encourage you to visit HealthiestState.net and forward the URL to your colleagues, friends and family in other states for their own use.

Some of you may ask, if the Healthiest State Campaign is geared toward making Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation, then why are we encouraging other states to do the same? Because a rising tide lifts all boats. Creating a national buzz around the Healthiest State will, in turn, raise more interest within our own state. Now that we have good traction in Washington state (with 30,000 people, 200 schools and more than 850 businesses and organizations participating in the campaign), national interest in our civic engagement process will only spur even more excitement and action toward improving health in our state.

From all appearances, the tide is already beginning to rise. The "healthiest state" message is catching on across the country. The Colorado Health Foundation has declared its vision to make Colorado the Healthiest State in the Nation. Governor Schwarzenegger has claimed the same goal for California. Minnesota, Arkansas and other states have also stated this intent, through public officials or private organizations. And now Governor Spitzer of New York has not only declared the intent, but also unveiled a series of state health proposals and a several hundred million dollar budget to implement these ideas. In fact, Gov. Spitzer's proposals are right in line with our Washington state health improvement recommendations.

There is much to be gained by partnerships with organizations and people in other states toward the Healthiest State in the Nation vision. But let's celebrate our leadership in getting this ball rolling. Thanks to your help in making Washington state a leader in this — now national — healthiest state vision!