"We in the public health community need what you've got," U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders told faith leaders who met at The Carter Center in January. (Photo: Billy Howard)

Traditionally, faith groups have led the way in establishing hospitals and healing agencies. Today, the battle for good health also is waged through education, prevention, and public policy. Established in 1993, The Carter Center's Interfaith Health Program (IHP) provides faith groups with information about creative community health models and preventive health care.

In January, IHP brought faith and public health leaders together for a coalition-building conference at The Carter Center. More than 100 members of faith groups--Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and others--attended to learn what congregations can do to promote health in their neighborhoods. The conference highlighted successful models of cooperation such as:

• The C.A.R.E. Fair of Tucson, Ariz. Health and human services agencies provide one-stop shopping for health care services. Faith group volunteers provide interpreters, baby-sitting, transportation, and other services to help low-income families. The fair is held in a school on week-ends for easy access.
• Heart, Body & Spirit of Newark, N.J., and Baltimore, Md. Started by doctors at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, this program teaches church laypersons how to perform simple health screenings and refer patients to primary care physicians. The program targets hypertension, smoking, obesity, diabetes, breast cancer, and other health problems.
• Greater Dallas Community Churches of Dallas, Texas. This large interfaith consortium provides many health outreach services, including a multichurch emergency center and immunization services for children.

With more than 145 million members--about 60 percent of the American population--faith groups are in a unique position to help those who feel disenfranchised from the health care system.

"There is potential for a major national movement across faith boundaries to make a difference in the public health of our nation," said former President Jimmy Carter, who spoke at the IHP conference. "Today, health care reform presents people of faith with an opportunity to use their vast resources to promote new ways to prevent disease and prolong life."

Another participant called on faith groups to address the health care crisis. "We in the public health community need what you've got," U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders told the gathering. "We've got a lot of scientific know-how. We need your super-highway to reach the people in your communities. This conference is a turning point for improving the health of our country."