Late last week, the Trump administration announced the creation of the Administration for Healthy America (AHA)—a new federal agency aimed at coordinating national efforts to reduce chronic disease and improve public health outcomes. The agency will operate under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with a mission to centralize and streamline health promotion initiatives across federal, state, and community levels.
AHA will focus on five priority areas: Chronic disease prevention, especially cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Nutrition and food security, supporting healthier school meals and food access. Tobacco and substance use reduction. Physical activity promotion through community and workplace programs and mental and behavioral health integration.
According to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the AHA is intended to be “the public health equivalent of the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E”—a hub for cross-sector innovation and rapid scaling of evidence-based programs.
Why It Matters for Hospital and Health System Leaders:
- Funding Opportunities: AHA is expected to coordinate $10 billion over 5 years in public health grants, creating significant partnership opportunities for health systems engaged in prevention or community health initiatives.
- Strategic Alignment: Systems that align with AHA goals—especially those in Medicaid-heavy or underserved markets—may gain competitive advantages through state partnerships and HHS pilot projects.
- Regulatory Attention: Hospitals will face new reporting benchmarks related to community health impact, especially in states participating in AHA’s new “Healthy Communities Index” initiative.
Action Steps for Leaders:
- Assess your organization’s current alignment with AHA’s five focus areas.
- Engage state health departments now to understand upcoming grant and pilot opportunities.
- Integrate AHA policy goals into community benefit and population health strategies.
