This weekly bulletin is provided by The Root Cause Coalition to provide news and information on the social determinants of health, as well as a snapshot of the Coalition’s activities.
The Root Cause Coalition provides this weekly update to draw attention to our members’ social determinants of health (SDoH) activities, SDoH in the news and the ever-growing challenges faced by our most vulnerable communities. We encourage you to share SDoH-focused research, events and other resources with us so that we can promote it through our TRCC network. Our aim is to foster an exchange of information that is helpful to others so that those most in need - on whose behalf we work each day - can continue to receive information, access and services to improve health and quality of life. If you have information to share, please email us: contact@rootcausecoalition.org.
TRCC News and Upcoming Events
Sign-On to TRCC's Letter to House Rules Committee: Hunger and Healthcare Costs The hunger crisis in the US has come with staggering human and financial costs. The pandemic worsened health inequities that have gone unaddressed for too long, and hunger was no exception.
Please strongly consider adding your organization’s name to the growing roster of those who express support for hunger as a policy priority, and as part of this request, a call for a White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health. To view the letter, please click here and to add your organization, please fill out this brief form here. The letter will remain open until June 30th, and we encourage you to share this with your own networks as well!
Register Now for the National Summit!
Plan now to join us for TRCC’s 6th National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health, held virtually October 4-6, 2021. Early bird registration goes through July 1st, 2021. Click here to register and learn more!
With a focus on how the events of the last year-and-a-half have underscored the urgency to address social determinants to achieve health equity, the agenda for this year’s National Summit will bring together leaders in healthcare, community and faith-based organizations, researchers, government leaders, educators and businesses to share best practices, offer community connections and resources and engage in the crucial discussion of how to best address the social determinants of health, including a focus on systemic racism.
Daniel Dawes, director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia and a professor of health law, policy and management will be among the featured speakers.
Thank you to our Presenting Sponsors, AARP Foundation and ProMedica. And thank you to Robert Wood Johnson for sponsoring TRCC’s “Voices from the Field” initiative, a series of forthcoming vignettes focused on individual voices of those affected by social determinants of health.
If you are interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities at this year’s National Summit, please contact Madison Flores at mflores@rootcausecoalition.org.
Social Determinants in the News
Join God’s Love We Deliver on June 28th, 2pm ET to discuss the impact of medically tailored meals on one’s health and why healthcare systems are investing in this low-cost, high-impact intervention. Dorella Walters, Senior Director of External Program Affairs at God's Love We Deliver, will moderate the discussion. Speakers include: Ashley Fitch, Director of Community Health Innovations & Partnerships with Mount Sinai; Dr. Amanda Parsons, MD MBA, Deputy Chief Medical Officer with MetroPlus Health, and Karen Pearl, President & CEO with God's Love We Deliver.
This article discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic widened health disparities and further exposed the impact and costs associated with SDoH. The authors encourage individuals to help close racial healthcare gaps in their own communities by raising awareness in their own lives as well as voting for legislators who support equitable policies.
This article outlines the disproportionate impact of HIV on Black and Brown communities as well as the stigma that is still associated with the virus. The authors discuss how improved education about HIV, as well as more comprehensive healthcare system that addresses SDoH, can help mitigate this disease.
The American Heart Association’s journal Circulation published its first issue devoted to disparities in cardiovascular medicine. This issue discusses how SDoH affects the overall health of African Americans by drawing on scientific perspectives and new clinical research. Future issues of the journal will continue to address disparities in other populations and highlight efforts towards building a more diverse healthcare workforce.
SDOH Advocacy Update
Current updates on state and federal SDoH Advocacy. For further details about the bills listed here, and contact information for sponsors and cosponsors, please click the links in the headlines below.
This bill was introduced by Representative Alma Adams [D-NC] to address the maternal mortality crisis in the US. The bill would create a grant program within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide funding for health-professional training programs that address implicit bias in maternal healthcare delivery. When developing the requirements for these training programs, HHS would be required to collaborate with community-based health workers and organizations that specialize in health equity. Additionally, the bill would establish a grant program for the creation of state pregnancy medical home programs that deliver integrated services, improve health outcomes and reduce racial disparities in maternal healthcare. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced by Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester [D-DE], this bill would establish a grant program to support the development and implementation of plans that help address the US housing shortage. Grants would be given to states and localities to expand the supply and affordability of housing, reduce barriers to new housing development and avoid the displacement of current residents. The Department of Housing and Urban Develop (HUD) would also need to provide policies, strategies and reforms that grantees can adopt to address housing challenges in their communities. The bill was referred to the Committee on Financial Services and Budget Committees.
This bill was introduced by Senator Bob Casey [D-PA] to strengthen and expand access to mental health and social services across the country. The bill would allocate funding to improve the availability, reliability, and responsiveness of 211 and 988 informational services and to more efficiently connect and refer individuals to appropriate agencies and community organizations. States would be required to establish a Human Services State Oversight Council that provides guidance, oversight and recommendations to increase awareness and effectiveness of community-based services. The bill was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced by Senator Cory Booker [D-NJ], this bill would establish a new pilot program to fund nutrition education in schools along with other projects and evidence-based interventions related to student health and nutrition. Cross-sector partnership projects are particularly encouraged and priority for funding would be given to schools in neighborhoods with higher rates of childhood diet-related illnesses and low-income families. The bill was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
The Root Cause Coalition Member Spotlight
Enterprise Community Partners has launched an initiative that will distribute $750,000 in operating support to eight Black-led New Orleans nonprofits. The funding will help enhance each organization’s work in their communities. The Community Development Organization Fund is supported by grants from the Ford Foundation, Kresge Foundation and JPMorgan Chase. Enterprise plans to expand its funding model across the country and gather grantees to share information and experiences.
תגובות