The Root Cause Coalition provides this weekly update to highlight 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 their health and quality of life.

• Racial justice
• Minority health and health disparities
• Food and nutrition security
• Housing insecurity
• How we speak about social drivers of health (the marketing and communications of SDOH issues)
• The role of technology in achieving health equity
• Women and children’s health
• Mental health
• Economic insecurity

TRCC News

 
Root of the Issue
Check out Root of the Issue, TRCC’s podcast that explores the passion and purpose of individuals from across the nation who have dedicated themselves to championing health equity for all. This week’s episode features Alissa Wassung, Executive Director of the Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC), the national coalition of non-profit organizations that provide medically tailored meals (MTMs) and groceries, medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling and education to people in communities across the country living with severe and chronic illnesses. Leading FIMC, Alissa unites diverse constituencies to advance the field of medically tailored food and nutrition. Through education, briefings, national Symposia, technical assistance, and national policy change, she has already helped build nationwide awareness of the need for access to and funding for medically tailored meals. Root of the Issue can be accessed on TRCC’s website and on your favorite podcast app, including Apple, Spotify and Google. Check out this week’s episode and all archived podcasts here!

Register for Mid-Atlantic Region Come to the Table – March 26, 2024
The Root Cause Coalition is proud to be working with the USDA to achieve the goal of ending hunger in the United States by 2030, as set forth by President Biden. Building on the momentum of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, this virtual event is an opportunity to hear from leaders in the field who will share their expertise and experiences in addressing nutrition security and health equity in the USDA’s Mid-Atlantic Region (District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Puerto Rico).

The event will take place virtually from 10 a.m. – Noon ET. Please join us for an opportunity to engage in dialogue to shape policy and program priorities that will lead to a healthier future for all Americans. Register here.

Housing and Health: Experiences, Perceptions and Concerns about Housing as a Social Driver
In addition to TRCC’s recent Housing and Health survey, we have developed a summary of the latest news and research related to housing security and its connection to other social drivers, available here. Access to safe, stable housing has a profound effect on one’s health and well-being. Poor housing conditions, such as overcrowding, inadequate ventilation and exposure to environmental hazards, can lead to a range of health problems including respiratory illnesses, injuries and mental health issues. Housing instability, homelessness and unsafe neighborhoods further exacerbate these health risks, impacting physical and mental well-being. Affordable, quality housing not only provides a foundation for good health but also facilitates access to essential amenities and social support networks, promoting overall well-being and reducing health disparities within communities.

Communications Update: TRCC is on Instagram!
We listened to our member feedback and are thrilled to announce the launch of The Root Cause Coalition's official Instagram channel! Our IG account will feature research insights, behind-the-scenes glimpses, event updates, and impactful member stories. Through this channel, we aim to amplify TRCC member voices and foster meaningful connections in our mission to advance health equity for all. Give us a follow at @RootCauseCoalition! Member organizations are encouraged to contact Anna Megel, Member Relations Manager, at amegel@rootcausecoalition.org if they would like to be featured in a spotlight post.

TRCC Member Highlights

New Member Spotlight – The Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion
TRCC is happy to announce The Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion (the Center) as a new member of the Coalition! The Center is a central access point for information and resources to support and connect the broader prevention community across the state of Ohio. Founded in 2022, the team at the Center works to build infrastructure and capacity to address substance use disorder and early intervention and promote mental, emotional and behavioral health among Ohioans. The Center utilizes community-level partnerships to ensure that prevention priorities are accessible and responsive. Read more about the Center here!

Interested in learning more about membership and engagement with The Root Cause Coalition and how your organization can join our work toward health equity for all? Please reach out to Anna Megel, Member Relations Manager, at amegel@rootcausecoalition.org

Social Determinants in the News

Associations of Medical Debt with Health Status, Premature Death, and Mortality in the US
This cross-sectional study delves into the correlation between medical debt and poor population health across various counties in the United States. Analyzing data from 2,943 counties, the study reveals that a greater proportion of the population burdened by medical debt correlates with increased instances of poor physical and mental health, premature deaths and higher mortality rates at the county level. These findings underscore an association between medical debt and deteriorating population health, particularly impacting vulnerable communities already susceptible to accumulating medical expenses.

How Some Top Hospitals Cut CO2 to Cure the Health Sector's Climate Impact
This article details the efforts of top hospitals in California, Michigan and Taiwan to mitigate their carbon emissions. The health care sector stands as one of the nation’s top producers of CO2 emissions, accounting for 8.5% of total U.S. carbon emissions. Operational demands of health facilities, such as 24/7 ventilation, electricity, temperature control, food services, laundries, emergency transportation and large quantities of single-use sanitary products, leads to massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers and teams across the U.S. are finding strategies to minimize waste, build energy-efficient buildings, and promote sustainability awareness among hospital staff.

Join the Celebration: National Nutrition Month
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table,” addressing the farm-to-fork aspects of nutrition such as food production and distribution to navigating grocery stores and farmers markets and describing the various ways we eat whether at home, school or events. The theme also focuses on sustainability and decreasing food waste. Click here to find ways to celebrate as well as access nutrition resources and a social media toolkit.

How Reparations Could Improve Black Health and Wellbeing
This article is a conversation with Mary T. Bassett, M.D., Director of Harvard’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights and former health commissioner for the state of New York, about the research project that she is leading, “Making the Public Health Case for Reparations,” which explores Black reparations as a public health strategy for achieving health equity. Dr. Bassett argues that the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow and “separate but equal” policies has created vast disparities in wealth and opportunity for Black people, and states that eliminating the wealth gap should be the goal of reparations. She says we should measure progress by looking at health outcomes to close the gap in life expectancy to use reparations to achieve racial equity.

SDoH Advocacy Update

TRCC’s Equity Legislation Monitor for 118th Congress
TRCC’s Equity Legislation Monitor (ELM) was developed by TRCC to identify priority issues affecting health disparities and relevant legislation that address them. The ELM provides updates and pertinent information on research, news and legislation in eight priority areas: digital equity; environment and climate change; gun violence prevention; housing; maternal health; nutrition and food security; rural health; and payment models.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A new subpage has been added to the nutrition and food security page focusing on Food is Medicine. Click here to see the new page and check out the ELM.

OCCHE Releases March Health Outlook
The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) has released its March 2024 Climate and Health Outlook, intended to inform health professionals and the public on how our health may be affected in the coming months by climate events and provide resources to take proactive action. This edition covers each region’s forecast for drought, wildfire and winter weather as well as providing information on behavioral health impacts associated with climate hazards and how climate change is influencing pollen.

H.Res.1062 – Declaring racism a public health crisis
This resolution was introduced by Representative Jahana Hayes [D-CT] to express congressional support for addressing racism as a public health crisis. It recognizes racism as a pervasive health issue and urges immediate and effective government action to address it. The resolution commits to establishing a national strategy to address health disparities and inequity across all sectors of society, dismantling systemic practices and policies that perpetuate racism and promoting efforts to address SDoH, especially for Black, Latino, Native American people and other people of color. This bill has been referred to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and the Judiciary.

H.R.7503 – Health Equity for People with Disabilities Act
This bill was introduced by Representative Donald Payne [D-NJ] to address the health disparities faced by people with disabilities, including a lack of providers who understand their specific health needs, a lack of accessible diagnostic equipment and insufficient communication resources, such as sign language interpretation and plain language instructions. The bill would amend the Public Health Services Act to ensure that community health centers are prepared to serve the health care needs of people with disabilities within the existing medically underserved groups and medically underserved areas. It would also provide community health centers with quality improvement grants to improve staff skills and ensure settings and equipment are accessible to reduce barriers to care of people with disabilities in their clinics. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.  

H.R.7481 – Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2024
This bill, reintroduced by Representative Nanette Diaz Barragan [D-CA], would authorize the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Program. This program would work to improve health outcomes and eliminate health disparities by coordinating SDoH activities across the CDC and improving the capacity of public health agencies to address SDoH issues. To do this, the bill would provide funding for grants that would be awarded to state, local, territorial and Tribal health agencies, nonprofit organizations and nonprofit institutions of higher education that are implementing SDoH programs in their communities. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.