R4: Enhance health by embracing our collective spiritual journey
Our nation should refresh the American Dream by embracing values shared across generations and faith traditions, and by assuring that all are engaged in removing the barriers to health as part of our collective spiritual journey.
Opportunity Remove Barriers to Health Recommendation Our nation should refresh the American Dream by embracing values shared across generations and faith traditions, and by assuring that all are engaged in removing the barriers to health as part of our collective spiritual journey. Our nation is underachieving in health as inequities have grown through the single-minded pursuit of wealth that has misaligned our priorities and undermined our quality of life.
The effort to remove barriers to health can begin by building on existing accomplishments and initiatives while working to:
- Create health enterprise zones in vulnerable areas to leverage and synthesize existing data for mapping disparities while mobilizing community wellness initiatives directed by a common aim to address the health and wellbeing of all
- Establish a public-private sector collaborative movement to build health in all policies; include business, unions, education, agriculture, transportation, housing, non-profits, philanthropy, elected officials, civil service, faith communities and the Federal Reserve, among others.
- Establish Interagency Health Councils at federal, state, and local levels and periodically invite movement leaders to meet with the Councils and define a common agenda including shared goals.
- Provide values-based education across the lifespan that addresses psychological, social, spiritual, environmental and intellectual engagement while honoring different faith and cultural traditions with use of reflection and meditation techniques chosen by students.
- Shape a personal development model that incorporates biological, psychological, social and spiritual learning which places altruism, joy, love and faith in the context of the original pursuit of happiness as the American Dream.
- Offer incentives to promote a health-oriented national culture using budget and contract levers that encourage individuals to balance work, play and social engagements which help people achieve their highest potential.
- Place an economic value on health with health credits and credit swapping to help change the culture through recognition of the value of health