School Joins Initiative to Boost New Yorkers’ Health and Longevity

The Columbia Mailman School is joining more than a dozen organizations across health care, academia, government, philanthropy, and the private sector as a founding partner of HealthyNYC, an initiative launched this year by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH). Its goal is to improve life expectancy and create a healthier city for all.

As part of HealthyNYC, the DOH—led by Commissioner Ashwin Vasan, a Columbia Mailman professor of population and family health and member of the School’s Board of Advisors—is recruiting employers to contribute to a goal of raising life expectancy by more than two years to a new record of at least 83 years by 2030. Life expectancy in the city peaked at 82 years in 2019 before dipping to 78 years due to COVID-19. It has since rebounded to 80 years in 2020.

Employers enrolled in the program commit to achieve progress across six key drivers of life expectancy: cardiometabolic conditions, drug overdose, suicide, COVID-19 and seasonal respiratory illnesses, violence, and maternal health, as well as cross-cutting factors such as workplace wellbeing, structural racism, and climate change. For each category, HealthyNYC offers employers recommended actions. For example, to prevent cardiometabolic conditions, the program’s guidelines recommend that employers promote health screenings, healthy eating and exercise, and tobacco use cessation.

HealthyNYC was created on the principle that employers play a critical role in promoting health and longevity by providing health insurance and benefits, setting workplace culture, and driving economic systems. Employers also provide benefits for dependents, impacting the health and well-being of millions of people outside the workforce, such as children and older adults. The DOH notes that the partnership is a win-win; employers also benefit from investing in the health of their employees, as increased physical and mental health is associated with improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, and less staff turnover.

“We are proud to join the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in this important initiative to bolster New Yorkers’ health and longevity. Everything we do as a school of public health—in education, research, and community partnership—is made possible through the dedication of our faculty, students, and staff. For this reason, and because it aligns with our values, we commit to supporting their health and well-being and adding good years to their lives,” says Sami Jarrah, vice dean for finance and administration, and executive director for public partnerships, for Columbia Mailman.

“To lead as a school of public health and as a city, it is important that we embrace efforts like these that not only add years to our lives but add health to our years, extending our healthspan along with our lifespan,” says Dean Linda P. Fried. “The health and wellbeing of older New Yorkers help make a successful city.”