Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office

Community Preventive Services

The Division of Community Preventive Services supports population health through research, consultation, practice and technical assistance, and supports the Community Preventive Services Task Force. The Task Force is an independent, nonfederal, volunteer body of public health and prevention experts, whose members are appointed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The Task Force develops evidence-based recommendations and findings for the Community Guide, a free resource to help state health officers, other public health professionals, and policy makers choose programs and policies to improve health and prevent disease in their communities. Systematic reviews are used to answer these questions: 

• Which program and policy interventions have been proven effective?
• Are there effective interventions that are right for my community?
• What might effective interventions cost; what is the likely return on investment?

Our staff includes epidemiologists, behavioral and social scientists, systematic review methodologists, statisticians, economists, clinicians, communication specialists, health educators, and policy experts who provide scientific, technical, and administrative support to the Task Force and the Community Guide. Other CDC programs contribute subject matter experts to participate in and, in some cases, take the lead on conducting systematic reviews.