To achieve the two major goals of Healthy People 2020, collaboration is essential, and local-level collaboration is encouraged because:

• A. The federal government is ultimately responsible for national health.
• B. The public demands that the government protect the people.
• C. Public health departments do not have the resources to accomplish these goals independently.
• D. State health agencies must take a universal approach to achieving objectives.

Answer: (C)

Collaboration across different levels is essential because Healthy People 2020 aims to improve population health through broad, coordinated actions. Local-level collaboration is encouraged specifically because public health departments typically do not have enough funding, staff, or resources to achieve these wide-ranging goals on their own. By partnering with local hospitals and clinics, schools, community organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders, resources can be pooled, strategies can be tailored to the community’s unique needs, and programs become more feasible and sustainable. This approach also helps address local social determinants of health and builds trust and buy-in within the community.

Other statements miss the mark because they either overemphasize federal responsibility, rely on public demand to drive protection, or assume a universal statewide approach. The strength of Healthy People 2020 lies in shared effort and local collaboration to make nationwide objectives attainable.