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.

Registration Now Open for the 2024 TRCC National Summit
Registration is now open for the 2024 National Summit on the Social Drivers of Health, held October 6-8 in Baltimore, Maryland. Our goal at the National Summit is to facilitate collaboration between and highlight the incredible work being done across the country by every type of organization working to achieve health equity.  As such, the agenda reflects the cross-sector nature of our work and focuses on demonstrable, scalable, innovative ideas and programs and discussions with national health equity experts. Don’t miss out on early bird registration rates starting at $695 for members (beyond member-only complimentary registrations) and $795 for non-members, including access to all sessions, meals and special features of the Summit. TRCC members' primary contacts had been sent an e-mail from Molly Melnick, TRCC Member Relations Coordinator, last week with instructions on how to redeem their organizations' complimentary registrations as a benefit of TRCC membership.

DEADLINE EXTENDED for Nominations for the 2024 Health Justice Award!
The Root Cause Coalition is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2024 Health Justice Award that recognizes and honors organizations that have successfully implemented a program or intervention to reduce health disparities within the past three years. Courtesy of the gracious sponsorship of Aetna, a CVS Health company, the winner of the award will receive $25,000 and will be formally recognized at TRCC’s Annual National Summit on the Social Drivers of Health which will take place October 6-8, 2024 in Baltimore, MD. To learn more about the award, guidelines and to nominate a program, click here. The deadline has been extended: all nominations must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, June 16, 2024. Questions? Contact Lori Bennett at lbennett@rootcausecoalition.org. 

TRCC News

June 18 at Noon ET - TRCC Research Webinar:  Social Drivers in Rural Communities
Join TRCC Senior Advisor, Research, Alex Lewin-Zwerdling, to learn about the results of TRCC's most recent public insight survey on social drivers of health in rural communities. Results show that, compared to urban and suburban residents, those living in rural areas are the least satisfied with accessible transportation options to complete their daily activities. Low-income individuals as well as rural residents also report less access to fresh fruits and vegetables from their home. Additionally, most respondents use their personal vehicle to get to places that are part of their daily routine; being driven by a friend or family member is most common among lower-income individuals. Rural residents also report more difficulty getting to the grocery store and fitness facilities. Click here to register for this webinar.

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 guest is Jeff Smythe, Executive Director of the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI) in Atlanta Georgia. ARCHI represents more than 115 organizations aligned to address critical drivers of poor health and health inequities by engaging a broad network of intersectional partners to sustainably change the system. Jeff has dedicated his career to the alleviation of human suffering, poverty, isolation, and inequities. Check out this new episode, and all archived episodes, here!

TRCC Member Highlight

Team IMPACT and CHA Join Forces to Enhance Pediatric Health Care Experience and Increase Program Access
Team IMPACT, a nonprofit connecting children with serious illnesses to college sports teams, has partnered with the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) to enhance pediatric healthcare. This collaboration aims to provide holistic support and emotional resilience for children and their families through advocacy, awareness, and program referrals. Children signed onto college teams participate in practices and events, fostering a sense of belonging and confidence. CHA, representing more than 200 children’s hospitals, will integrate Team IMPACT’s model to educate families and improve care. The partnership will feature advocacy opportunities, educational events, and awareness campaigns to create lasting positive changes for pediatric patients.

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 Molly Melnick, Member Relations Coordinator at mmelnick@rootcausecoalition.org

Social Determinants in the News

Does SNAP Cover the Cost of a Meal in Your County?
The Urban Institute released a comparison between maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and meal costs in 2023, revealing persistent inadequacy worsened by the expiration of additional federal aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. SNAP supports more than 42 million Americans annually, but its maximum benefit often falls short of covering the cost of a modest meal, leading to ongoing food insecurity. Key findings from the report reveal that despite a slight decrease in food price inflation, many families still faced food hardship due to tighter budgets. In addition, before and after the USDA's 2024 cost-of-living adjustment, the gap between SNAP benefits and meal costs remained substantial, particularly in urban areas. Policy changes during the pandemic temporarily alleviated poverty but ending emergency allotments and rising food costs in 2022 heightened challenges for SNAP recipients in 2023.

Plans and Enrollment Often Fell Short for Underrepresented Groups in a Sample of NIH-Funded Clinical Trials
The Department of Health and Human Services conducted a review on historical underrepresentation of certain demographic groups in medical research, which exacerbates health disparities. Findings from this review indicate that many National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded clinical trials fail to enroll underrepresented groups or meet inclusion requirements. Two-thirds of trials had inclusive enrollment plans, but one-third excluded certain racial and ethnic groups.  More than half lacked required information on target populations, and most missed enrollment targets for underrepresented groups. While NIH monitors enrollment, it struggles to drive improvement. Suggestions to address this issue include NIH enforcing clear descriptions of study population rationale, providing better support for inclusion targets, and aligning demographic data collection with OMB requirements for more precise reporting.

Language Barriers in Health Care: Findings from the KFF survey on Racism, Discrimination, and Health
In the U.S., 26 million people have limited English proficiency (LEP), primarily speaking Spanish (62%), Chinese (7%), and other languages. LEP individuals face greater health disparities, reporting worse health status and more barriers to care than English-proficient individuals. They are less likely to have regular health care visits and insurance, with 50% encountering language barriers in health care settings. LEP adults report fewer positive interactions with health providers and lower comfort levels in asking health-related questions. Those with more language-concordant visits experience fewer barriers, greater comfort and better cultural respect. Community health centers play a crucial role in providing appropriate care for LEP individuals, reducing disparities in health care access and quality.

The Growing Policy Wave of Medical Debt Cancellation: States Taking Action
States across the US are increasingly focusing on canceling and preventing medical debt. Medical debt is a significant issue in the U.S., with 100 million adults, both uninsured and insured affected, particularly among low-income, Black, Latino/a, and rural populations. Initiatives in New Jersey, Arizona, DC, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and New York City are using funds to eliminate debt for residents earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Other measures include capping interest rates, prohibiting debt on credit reports and enhancing financial assistance screening. Federal efforts complement these by promoting consumer protections and considering rules to exclude medical debt from credit reports. 

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. 

OCCHE Releases June Health Outlook
The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) has released its June 2024 Climate and Health Outlook. This edition provides forecasts for heat, drought and wildfire in June 2024 as well as the 2024 hurricane outlook. It discusses how to protect yourself and others’ health from these climate hazards along with tickborne diseases and conditions, tornadoes, flooding, and pollen. It also features stories about a new Drought and Health Messaging Framework, an NYC cooling system distribution partnership, and how to protect agricultural workers from wildfire smoke exposure. 

S.4357 - The Comprehensive Dental Care Reform Act of 2024
This bill was introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders [I-VT] to address the lack of affordable dental care in the U.S. The bill would extend comprehensive dental coverage to all Medicare, Medicaid and Veteran Affairs beneficiaries and make dental services an essential health benefit for adults under the Affordable Care Act. It would also expand access by increasing funding to provide oral health services in community health centers, schools and emergency department settings along with mobile services and outreach to underserved populations. To address workforce shortages, the bill would authorize funding for both community-based dental residencies and dental student training and additional National Health Service Corps scholarships and loan repayment to recruit and support oral health professionals to work in underserved communities. Additionally, the bill would authorize funding for programs to educate non-dental health professionals about oral health to encourage the integration of oral health care into overall health care and prepare students to meet the needs of diverse and underserved populations. Finally, it would also authorize funding for research on prevention and disease management to improve oral health care delivery and the oral health status of Americans. The bill was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 

S.4273 - Native ELDER Act 
This bill, introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski [R-AK], would establish an Older Americans Tribal Advisory Committee at the Administration on Aging, to provide recommendations on how the Older Americans Act (OAA)’s programs can improve services for Native American Elders. The bill would amend the OAA to prioritize accessible home modifications and in-home services necessary for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Elders and enhance technical assistance to ensure tribes and tribal organizations have adequate capacity to deliver services. It would direct the Administration on Aging to conduct a feasibility study for modifying the Native American Caregiver Support program, with the goal of enhancing elders’ ability to age in their own communities, as well as evaluate and identify the barriers to Indian tribes accessing programs under Title VI of the OAA. Additionally, the bill would direct the Secretary of Labor to submit a report to Congress on how recipients of funding under title V of the OAA are serving Native American Elders. The bill was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.4440 - Public Housing Emergency Response Act
This bill, introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren [D-MA], would address dangerous housing conditions that contribute to a broad range of infectious diseases, chronic diseases, injuries, childhood development complications, nutrition issues, and mental health challenges among public housing residents. The bill would support the approximately 1.2 million units of public housing across the country receiving federal funding which have an estimated capital repairs backlog of more than $70 billion. The bill would create a one-time, $70 billion appropriation into the Public Housing Capital Fund for public housing maintenance, repairs and upgrades throughout the country, improving substandard housing conditions, such as poor ventilation, pest infestations and water leaks that are associated with the development and exacerbation of respiratory diseases such as asthma. The bill was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.