Bloomberg American Health Initiative

The Bloomberg American Health Initiative is a major investment in a healthy future for the United States. Through education, research, and practice, the Bloomberg American Health Initiative works to tackle critical, 21st century challenges to health in the United States, aiming to improve health and save lives nationwide.

Bloomberg Philanthropies, founded by businessman, philanthropist, and three-term mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg, provided $300 million to create the American Health Initiative in honor of the centennial of the School’s establishment as the United States’ first independent graduate school of public health.

The Bloomberg American Health Initiative is tackling five issues that deeply challenge the nation’s health: addiction and overdose, adolescent health, environmental challenges, obesity and the food system, and violence.

The Initiative also has set out to train a new generation of professionals committed to improving health in America, providing fellowships for students pursuing a Master of Public Health and or a Doctor of Public Health degree.

“People are living longer lives than ever before in history, thanks in no small part to the pioneering public health work done at Johns Hopkins over the last century. But we can and must do better, starting here in the U.S., where life expectancy is lagging behind much of the developed world,” says Bloomberg.

“By spreading smart public health strategies that save lives and bringing people together to try new approaches, we can make the same strides in the 21st century against health threats like air pollution, gun violence, and obesity that we did in the 20th century against polio and other infectious diseases. There’s no institution better equipped to lead the charge than Johns Hopkins, and it’s an honor to be able to help launch the school’s next 100 years with this gift.”