Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

The Coalition believes that addressing systemic racism is foundational to achieving health equity. A moral and just society depends on the mutual respect for all individuals and a commitment to eliminating bias and racism and prejudice. Research has shown that experiences with individual and structural racism have been linked to a wide range of negative mental and physical health outcomes. Racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S. have lower life expectancy, experience higher rates of illness and chronic health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, and heart disease when compared to their white counterparts. The Coalition highlights policies that work to achieve health equity for all by addressing the impact of racism and discrimination on the health of racial and ethnic minority populations.

Resources and Information

American Public Health Association report: “Analysis: Declarations of Racism as a Public Health Crisis”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resource page: “Impact of Racism on Our Nation’s Health”
The Justice Collaborative report: “Racism is a Public Health Crisis. Here's How to Respond”
House Ways and Means Committee Staff Report: “Fact versus Fiction: Clinical Decision Support Tools and (Mis)Use of Race”
House Ways and Means Committee Staff Report: “Left Out: Barriers to Health Equity for Rural and Underserved Communities”
House Ways and Means Committee: Equity resource page
Annual Review of Public Health research overview: “Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Impacts of Racism on the Foundations of Health”
The New England Journal of Medicine research resource page: “Race and Medicine”
American Academy of Family Physicians blog: “We’ll Take Every Opportunity to Push for Real Health Equity”

Anti-Racism in Public Health Act

H.R. 666 - Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)

Introduced on 2/1/21
59 Co-Sponsors as of 11/17/22

S. 162 - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Introduced on 2/2/21
4 Co-Sponsors as of 11/17/22

Description

The bill would:

Establish a National Center for Anti-Racism at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to declare racism as a public health crisis. This Center would:
- Conduct and share research on social determinants of health, the public health impacts of structural racism and the effectiveness of intervention strategies
- Award grants and create at least three regional centers of excellence in anti-racism
- Coordinate with other Centers in the CDC to ensure structural racism in considered in all programming initiated by the agency
Establish a violence prevention program for law enforcement within the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the CDC. This program would:
- Study and develop interventions for the public health impacts of police brutality and violence
- Collect data and research on police violence and misconduct

Status

The bills remain under consideration in the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Additional Information

Rep. Pressley's office press release: “Pressley, Warren, Lee Reintroduce Bold Legislation to Confront Structural Racism as a Public Health Crisis”
Vox article: “Exclusive: Pressley, Warren, and Lee reintroduce bill to fight racism in public health"
Boston.com article: “Ayanna Pressley, Elizabeth Warren renew efforts to pass Anti-Racism in Public Health bill”
American Public Health Association report: “Analysis: Declarations of Racism as a Public Health Crisis”
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) letter: “Joint Letter of Support for Anti-Racism in Public Health Act”

Contact

For further information about this issue or other legislation in the ELM, please contact Tom Dorney at tdorney@rootcausecoalition.org or Hannah Miller at hmiller@rootcausecoalition.org