The County Health Rankings show us that where we live matters to our health. The health of a community depends on many different factors - ranging from health behaviors, education and jobs, to quality of health care, to the environment.

How do we keep the focus on the "health system" and not just the local health department?

We encourage states and communities to use the Rankings tool as a compelling case to educate your communities that the health system is really everyone in the community. Health is everybody's business, and we can't improve health in communities by simply looking at more health care or more services delivered by governmental public health.