Welcome to the Florida Public Health Association website. On August 6, 2009 I was privileged to become the 80th President of the Florida Public Health Association. It is difficult to find a definition of public health that is universally accepted and understood. The one that resonates with me is “what we do collectively as a society to create those conditions in which we can be healthy".  Benjamin Disraeli, a 19th Century British Statesman said: “The health of the people is really the foundation upon which all their happiness and all their powers as a state depend”.  Given our mission: to advance public health by advocacy, education, and networking - everyone is qualified to be a member of FPHA. Our values; collaboration, consensus, empowerment, and diversity are universal in their appeal and by following our strategic plan we hope to fulfill the inspiring vision of FPHA- Leading the way to a healthier Florida. I'm very proud and humbled to follow in the footsteps of past FPHA presidents, especially our most recent president Frank Meyers. The public health challenges we face are difficult and can be overwhelming. It is predicted that for the first time the average life expectancy of our children's generation will not exceed ours. And this prediction was made before the recent economic crisis. The threats of obesity, tobacco, and our mental pollutants, and a “sick care” system represent serious threats to public health. But at the same time it is now that the future of public health is being determined. Each of these challenges represents opportunities for us to lead our community towards a healthier Florida. It will require that we do things differently, take risks, and partner with the “enemy" like HMOs, fast food restaurants, and developers. I invite you to join the FPHA. Join the effort so when the future generation asks “what did you do in the fight to become the healthiest generation"- you will be proud of your answer. Doug Holt, MD, President Director of the Hillsborough County Health Department		SECTIONS Community Injury Prevention & Control Dental  Diversity Health Environmental Health & Engineering Epidemiology/Laboratory Health Promotion HIV/AIDS Nursing Nutrition Public Health Administration Public Health Physicians Public Health Preparedness Public Health Social Workers Sexually Transmitted Diseases Student (full time) Interested in participating on an FPHA Committee or getting more involved in a Section? Send us an email at: floridapha@bellsouth.net Call Premier Marketing Group for ideas on how to help your employees, clients, or customers stay healthy. For the latest information on current health issues, check out the Florida Department of Health's website at floridashealth.com.
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES Grassroots Action Center SAVE THE DATE!!!   Plan to attend BioFlorida's 13th Annual Conference, the State's largest gathering of life science professionals. See details on the Meetings page.   American Public Health Association 138th Annual Meeting & Exposition Denver, CO November 6-10, 2010 http://www.apha.org/meetings © FPHA 2009: All information on this site is copyrighted by the Florida Public Health Association, Inc. Any use of the information contained on this website, including the names and contact information of officers and members, may not be used without the express written consent of the Association.