NACDD is the only organization representing all state and jurisdictional chronic disease staff, dedicated to building capacity and making public health good for the public.
As part of our Guiding Principles, NACDD regularly convenes communities of practice to examine crucial topics and trends in chronic disease prevention and health promotion. For example, last month, in collaboration with CDC, we hosted a two-day symposium with nationally recognized experts on what can be done to address the disproportionate burden of cancer among people aged 65 and older. Research suggests that 60 percent of all cancers in the United States occur in older adults even though they make up only 14.5 percent of the population.
The feedback from participants in the cancer prevention meeting was excellent:
ââŠA truly transformational meeting last week. NACDD does it again!â â Mary White, CDC
ââŠintellectually stimulating and purposeful.â â Paige Green, National Cancer Institute
ââŠYou and your colleagues had planned so exquisitely⊠It was easily one of the finest meetings I have ever attended.â â Dilip Jeste, UCSD Center for Healthy Aging
âIt was a great experience; I look forward to the work ahead!â â David Marquez, University of Illinois at Chicago
âI have been to probably thousands of meetings and conferences over my 40-year career, and this one was undoubtedly one of the best! Your crew organized a fantastic group of experts from so many diverse worlds⊠I look forward to the products that emerge from the meeting and hope somehow we can continue this network âŠ.â â Robyn Stone DrPH, Senior VP for Research, LeadingAge Center for Applied Research
More broadly, we strive to develop relevant and meaningful action plans with stakeholders in all of our program areas (diabetes, cardiovascular health, obesity prevention, disability inclusion, etcâŠ).
We believe this work can drive innovation in chronic disease prevention and health promotion activities; build capacity at the state and national level; and most importantly, demonstrate results to consumers and funders.
No matter how our nationâs economic and political climate fluctuates, we know this work must continue, and we are here to help make sure that it does â our health depends on it.