Start planning today for National Public Health Week 2019

Sure, it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but it’s still never too early to start planning for National Public Health Week 2019.

Commonly referred to as NPHW, next year’s public health celebration runs April 1-7 and has a theme of “Creating the Healthiest Nation: For science. For action. For health.” Not coincidentally, that's the same as the theme for APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo in Philly.

APHA has led the nationwide NPHW observance for more than 20 years to help celebrate the contributions of public health workers and energize communities on the path to creating the healthiest nation. The week helps us forge new and sometimes untraditional partnerships and puts a spotlight on the importance of prevention and the impact we can have if we truly address the social determinants of health.

NPHW is the perfect time for all of us to come together. How can you start getting ready for NPHW 2019? We have a few ideas:

• Join Generation Public Health, a movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation.
• Become an NPHW partner. Let everyone know you support public health and prevention.
• Plan an NPHW event in your town.
• Sign up for the 1 Billion Steps Challenge, which kicks off Jan. 1. We'd love for you to help us continue to crush our yearly goal to take 1 billion collective steps by NPHW.

We'll keep you posted about all the latest NPHW activities, events, resources and tools at www.nphw.org. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nphw. And don't forget to RSVP for the NPHW Twitter Chat, which will be held April 3 at 2 p.m. EDT. If you're in San Diego at APHA' 2018 Annual Meeting and Expo, be sure to swing by the NPHW booth, # 1441, inside the Public Health Expo.