The Root Cause Coalition is dedicated to amplifying the voices of communities and driving impactful policy reforms. As a nonprofit committed to addressing the root causes of health disparities and poverty, we aim to educate our members on recent news and research that advocates for equitable healthcare access and influencing policy decisions that combat food insecurity and poverty. 

Read our April 22, 2024 news on social drivers and advocacy updates below:

Social Drivers in the News:

KFF Survey on Racism, Discrimination and Health: Views on Racism and Trust in Key U.S. Institutions
This report uses findings from KFF’s 2023 Racism, Discrimination and Health Survey to examine U.S. adults’ views on racism in major aspects of society and explores the level of trust in health care providers and other public institutions to gauge how levels of trust vary by race and ethnicity. Key takeaways include that large majorities of adults say racism is at least a minor problem in U.S. politics, criminal justice, education, housing, employment and health care, and Black adults are much more likely to view racism as a major problem in each area. The findings show that many adults see racism as a problem across aspects of U.S. society and underscore the importance of continued efforts to address structural and systemic racism across multiple aspects of society, including health care.
 
Expansion of Child Tax Credits and Mental Health of Parents with Low Income in 2021
This study used a sample of 546,366 adults to determine if the expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in 2021 was associated with improved mental health among parents whose household income was less than $35,000. The study found that of the adults sampled, expanded CTC benefits were associated with an approximate one-fourth decrease in anxiety symptoms for the beneficiaries. These findings can be used as evidence when policymakers are considering making permanent the CTC expansion. 
 
Inadequate Home Improvement Financing Preserves Racial Disparities in Housing Quality
This study explores racial disparities in housing quality. According to the 2021 American Housing Survey, 5.7% of Black homeowners live in inadequate homes, almost double that of the rate for white homeowners. The study attributes this disparity to historical discrimination and the inequitable distribution of home improvement financing and assistance. To fix these inequities, the study recommends policymakers improve access to and streamline renovation financing and assistance, require servicers to establish contact with borrowers when a lower payment is available because of declining interest rates, improve lending programs for structural repairs, improve program efficiency and find ways to better fund programs.
 
NIH Climate Change and Health Coordinating Center hosts first conference
On Feb. 5-7, CAFÉ (Convene, Accelerate, Foster, and Expand the Climate Change and Health Community of Practice), the Research Coordinating Center for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Climate Change and Health Initiative, held its first Climate and Health Conference. More than 900 participants from the academic community, government agencies, community-based and non-governmental organizations, industry and other key stakeholders convened with the goal of accelerating the pace of research into the association of climate change and health. The NIH directors present emphasized the need for a multidisciplinary approach to reduce health threats posed by climate change and build climate resilience.

SDoH Advocacy Update:

Executive Order on Advancing Women’s Health Research and Innovation
President Joe Biden recently signed a new Executive Order to expand and improve research on women’s health. The order is made up of more than 20 new actions and commitments by federal agencies, including through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The directives will ensure women’s health is integrated and prioritized across the federal research portfolio and budget and will galvanize new research on a wide range of topics, including women’s midlife health. It will also launch a new National Institute of Health (NIH) effort to direct key investments in Fiscal Year 2025 to fund new and interdisciplinary women’s health research. This order builds on the announcement last month of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Sprint for Women’s Health, which committed $100 million towards transformative research and development in women’s health.
 
H.R.7504 – Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act
Introduced by Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez [D-WA], this bill would expand transportation options for veterans living in rural areas to get to Veterans Affairs (VA) health facilities by reauthorizing the VA Highly Rural Transportation Grant (HRTG) Program for five years and adding Tribal Organizations as entities eligible to apply for the program. The HRTG Program provides transportation services in areas with less than seven people per square mile and is available at no cost for veterans who live in eligible zones. This bill would expand the VA’s definition to ensure more counties are eligible for the grant program, helping more veterans living in rural areas get transportation to the VA or VA-authorized health care facilities. It would also increase the maximum amount of funding grant recipients are eligible for to better allow grantees to purchase an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant vehicle. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
 
S.1379 – Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act of 2023
This bill, introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown [D-OH], would address the health impacts of extreme heat waves that have become frequent due to the climate crisis. The bill would direct HUD to establish an urban heat mitigation grant program allowing entities such as local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, Tribal governments and nonprofits to apply for funding to implement efforts to help offset the effects of excess urban heat. Funding could be used for mitigation efforts including cool pavements, cool roofs, tree planting and maintenance, green roofs, bus stop covers, cooling centers and local heat mitigation education efforts. As research has shown that the impact of excess urban heat disproportionally affects lower-income communities and communities of color, the bill would require that at least 50% of funding would be awarded to projects in low-income and environmental justice communities. The bill was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and hearings were recently held. 
 
H.R.7451 – Youth Homelessness Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act of 2024
This bill was introduced by Representative Rashida Tlaib [D-MI] to address the barriers youth and young adults face in finding safe and stable housing, including systemic and structural racism, age discrimination and a low supply of affordable housing. The bill would establish a pilot program providing direct cash assistance to emancipated minors and young adults under 30 years old experiencing homelessness for 36 months. Participants in the program would also receive workforce development and educational attainment services and financial coaching courses. The bill would also commission a study to better understand the effects this program had on housing and health outcomes. The bill was referred to the Committees on Financial Services and Ways and Means.