RISE looks at recent headlines concerning social determinants of health (SDoH).
National Academies urges President to establish federal body for health equity
The federal government needs to take further action to address health equity throughout the United States, according to the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, calling on the President to establish a permanent federal entity responsible for advancing racial, ethnic, and tribal health equity.
The National Academy’s recommendations are based on its recent study, sponsored by the Office of Minority Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which examined the impact of economic, education, health care, infrastructure, housing, public safety, and other policies on health equity, with a particular focus on the impact on minoritized communities. In the report, Federal Policy to Advance Racial, Ethnic, and Tribal Health Equity, the committee made several recommendations to improve health equity in the U.S.
The recommendations include but are not limited to:
- A permanent federal body focused on improving racial, ethnic, and tribal equity across the federal government
- For Congress to create a new score card to assess how all proposed federal legislation could impact health equity in the future
- Federal agencies conduct an equity audit of existing policies
- Improved coordination among federal agencies
- Increased funding to improve accurate data collection of minoritized communities
- For the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create common measures for inequity, including a scientific measure of racism and other forms of discrimination to use in national health surveys and research
“The health inequities experienced by millions of people living in the U.S. today are in part the result of past and current policies that exclude or deprioritize these populations—putting them at a disadvantage that affects their well-being and life expectancy,” said Sheila Burke, the committee’s co-chair and an adjunct lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and chair of the Government Relations and Policy Group at Baker Donelson, in a statement. “The time to act is now, and we lay out specific steps in our report that the federal government can take to advance health equity.”
HHS awards $2.5M in to address food insecurity in Native communities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Indian Health Service (IHS), this week awarded five tribes and tribal organizations with $500,000 in grant funding to develop produce prescription programs within their communities.
The funding, totaling $2.5 million, is part of the IHS Produce Prescription Pilot Program, aims to address the disproportionate rate of food insecurity among American Indian and Alaska Native individuals. The funds will be used to improve access to produce and other traditional foods within Native communities.
“Food is medicine and nutrition is health. It is critical that all Americans have access to healthy food,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement. “Programs like this feed directly into our Administration’s goal of building healthier communities at the local level. This announcement will help to make it easier for American Indian and Alaska Native communities to enjoy healthy eating and good nutrition.”
UnitedHealthcare awards $11M to underserved communities
As part of its Empowering Health program, which launched in 2018, UnitedHealthcare has granted $11.1 million to 66 nonprofit organizations to support uninsured individuals and underserved communities. The nonprofits awarded the funds are located across 12 states, including Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.
The funding aims to address social needs such as food insecurity, social isolation, behavioral health issues, and health literacy efforts.
"UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to addressing social and economic factors that impact people’s ability to achieve and maintain good health. As a health care company, we see significant and ongoing inequities that exist in various communities across the country, particularly along racial lines,” said Olivia Jefferson, vice president of social responsibility at UnitedHealthcare, in a statement. “It’s imperative to collaborate with organizations and the Empowering Health grants allows us drive positive change for the people we call friends, family, and neighbors across the communities we serve. Our ultimate goal is to help people live healthier, happier lives.”