National Public Health Week's theme for Friday is Empowering A Healthy Community. It's impossible to disconnect our individual health from our community's health. When it comes to good health, a rising tide lifts all boats. And public health systems work to carefully monitor that tide, pinpointing choppy waters and struggling vessels and taking action to ensure that all boats have an opportunity to sail smoothly to healthier destinations.

Resilient, well-supported public health systems are critical to our nation's health and future. They maintain the health victories we've accomplished so far, such as dramatic reductions in tobacco use, and are essential to confronting today's big problems, such as rising chronic disease rates. We also need public health to monitor and protect us from emerging health threats, keep vaccine-preventable diseases at bay, provide life-saving services for vulnerable populations and so much more.

Just as important, we need public health's unique ability to rally communities around the many social determinants that shape people's health. The future of health is empowering communities with the tools, knowledge, resources and opportunities to make lasting change. Learn more at http://www.nphw.org/tools-and-tips/themes/empowering-a-healthy-community.