RISE looks at recent headlines concerning social determinants of health (SDoH).
HHS announces $105M in funding to improve maternal and infant health
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), this week announced a $105 million investment to support more than 100 community-based organizations (CBOs) in their work to improve maternal and infant health.
The funding is part of HRSA’s Healthy Start program, which focuses on the health care and social needs of moms and babies in vulnerable communities to address the “unacceptable disparities” that currently exist in maternal and infant health, according to HHS.
“Maternal health is a fundamental human right and every mother deserves access to quality care and support. Having a safe and healthy pregnancy and birth shouldn’t depend on the color of your skin, what language you speak at home, or where you live,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement. “We know that by expanding access to proven health care best practices we can help moms and their children thrive. That’s why the Biden-Harris Administration continues to support organizations working to improve maternal and infant health, especially in communities most at risk of poor outcomes.”
Data Equity Coalition issues recommendations for standardized data collection
Health equity cannot be accomplished without data equity, according to the Data Equity Coalition, which has released a new series of issue briefs with recommendations to standardize data collection methods to improve health outcomes throughout underserved communities.
The series includes five issue briefs authored by the following organizations: American Heart Association, Black Women’s Health Imperative, National LGBTQ Task Force, The Center for Law and Social Policy, and Mental Health America.
“If we can see it, we can address it. Data disaggregation allows us to detect differences, if they exist, between and within populations, and to design policies and programs that can help eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., FAAFP., chief medical officer for prevention, American Heart Association, in a statement.
In addition to other recommendations to advance true data equity, the Data Equity Coalition is calling for organizations to:
- Be sure gender identity measures allow non-cisgender people to reflect their identities in responses
- Disaggregate race and ethnicity data as much as possible
- Make sure race, ethnicity, language (REL) and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) indicators are captured and regularly monitored for maternal health outcomes
- Implement robust cybersecurity standards to ensure the data collected is protected from technological breaches and hacks
HHS releases national strategy for suicide prevention
The Biden Administration, through HHS, released last week its 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and an accompanying Federal Action Plan.
The national strategy was developed in collaboration between the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and includes contributions from an interagency work group comprised of over 20 agencies in 10 federal departments across the government.
“Suicide is a complex public health problem, tragically impacting our friends, family members, neighbors, and community members nationwide,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in the announcement. “The Biden-Harris Administration has consistently prioritized the health and well-being of Americans and this strategy—and the unprecedented interagency coordination demonstrated in the federal action plan—commits to the American people that we are here for you.”
This is the first national suicide prevention strategy to include a pillar that prioritizes equity and a particular focus on addressing suicide risks in the communities disproportionately impacted.
HHS underscored the urgent need for increased suicide prevention, outlining staggering data around suicide across the country.
- Each year millions of people think about, plan, or attempt suicide, with the problem particularly glaring among youth. In 2021, 22 percent of high school students seriously considered suicide, with nearly one in 10 having attempted suicide.
- Populations disproportionately impacted include veterans, certain racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ populations, youth, middle-aged, and older adults, individuals with serious mental illness, and certain occupational groups.
- Between 2018 and 2021, suicide rates rapidly increased among non-Hispanic Black or African American populations ages 10–24 (a 36.6 percent increase) and 25–44 years (a 22.9 percent increase), non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native populations ages 25–44 (a 33.7 percent increase), non-Hispanic multiracial populations ages 25–44 years (a 20.6 percent increase), and Hispanic populations ages 25–44 years (a 19.4 percent increase).
The national strategy aims to prevent suicide risk; identify individuals with increased risk and provide support, treatment, and crisis intervention; prevent reattempts; promote long-term recovery; and support survivors.