TFAH Applauds the Introduction of the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 by Senator Smith (MN) and Senator Murphy (CT)
(Washington, DC – August 5, 2020) – Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), a non-partisan, independent public health policy, research and advocacy organization, applauds Senators Tina Smith (MN) and Chris Murphy (CT) for introducing the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020. This critical bill would address the social, economic and environmental conditions that affect the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans.
If enacted, the bill would create a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through grants, this program would improve the capacity of public health departments and community organizations to address social determinants of health and reduce health care costs by building multi-sector collaborations and addressing policies that currently inhibit good health. Grants would also be issued to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to conduct research on SDOH best practices, provide technical, training and evaluation assistance and/or disseminate those best practices. Lastly, the program would coordinate, support and align SDOH activities at CDC.
The President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health, John Auerbach, congratulates Sen. Smith and Sen. Murphy on the introduction of the bill:
“The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the continued conversations our country is having about racism and racial justice, continue to put a spotlight on the social and economic conditions that contribute to an individual’s health outcomes during their life.
We know that a community’s resources directly impact the health outcomes of its residents. Now is the time to work to address these disparities, including those in housing, employment, food security and education.
This legislation would empower public health departments and community organizations to act as chief health strategists in their communities and lead efforts to convene partners across sectors to build integrated systems and programs that improve health and health equity.
The Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 is an important next step in improving health outcomes, would reduce overall healthcare spending and help address health inequities; TFAH is proud to support this bill and urges Congressional support.”
This bill is the Senate companion bill to Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 (H.R. 6561), which was introduced by Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) in April 2020.
TFAH’s summary of the bill can be found here. For more information on The Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020, please contact Daphne Delgado at [email protected].
In addition to TFAH, original endorsing organizations include:
1,000 Days
A Vision of Change Inc.
Addiction Professionals of North Carolina
Addiction Connections Resource
All Youth Access, LLC
Aligning for Health
America’s Essential Hospitals
American Art Therapy Association
American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work
American Association of Birth Centers
American Association on Health and Disability
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American College of Nurse-Midwives
American College of Preventative Medicine
American Federation of Teachers
American Heart Association
American Lung Association
American Institute for Cancer Research
American Kidney Fund
American Medical Student Association
American Public Health Association
Anders & Associates
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
APLA Health
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
Association of Minority Health Professions Schools
Association of Public Health Laboratories
Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Association of State Public Health Nutritionists
Autism Family Services of New Jersey
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Behavioral Health Association of Providers
Berean Wellness & Community Support Center
Better Health Partnership
Bike Cleveland
Blue Shield of California
Bridges Into the Future
Brighter Beginnings
Brooklyn Perinatal Network Inc
Build Healthy Places Network
Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
CARE ADVISORS
Caregivers of New Jersey
Center for Civil Justice
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Ceres Community Project
ChangeLab Solutions
Chicago Youth Programs, Inc.
Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition
Cleveland Public Library
Coalition for Disability Health Equity
Commission on the Public’s Health System
Common Threads
Community Based Organization Partners (CBOP)- Brooklyn Chapter
Community Catalyst
Community Cup Classic Foundation
Community Engagement Studio of Flint
Community Health Councils
Community Resilience Initiative
Congregation of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC)
Cook County Department of Public Health
Counter Tools
Cuyahoga County Board of Health
Deborah’s Place
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
Epilepsy Alliance America
Epilepsy Information Service of Wake Forest
Epilepsy Services of NJ
Epilepsy Services of New Jersey
Equality California
Equality North Carolina
Families USA
Farmworker Justice
Flint Association of Black Social Workers
flint rising
Flint Women’s Study Community Action Network
Florida Institute for Health Innovation
George Washington University Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement
Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Greater Flint Health Coalition
GSK Consumer Healthcare
Health by Design
Health Leadership Legacy Project
Health Outreach Partners
Health Resources in Action
Health Care Improvement Foundation
Healthy Chesapeake
Healthy Kinder International
Hispanic Federation
Human Impact Partners
Human Rights Campaign
Illinois Association of Behavioral Health
Indiana Public Health Association
Impetus – Let’s Get Started LLC
Japanese American Citizens League
Jump IN for Healthy Kids
Justice in Aging
Lakeshore Foundation
Lanai Community Health Center
Latino Coalition for a Health CA
Lutheran Services in America
Maine Public Health Association
March of Dimes
MaryCatherine Jones Consulting, LLC
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Mid-City CAN (Community Advocacy Network)
Midwest Asian Health Association
MomsRising
MountainCare
Move United
NAACP
NASTAD
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Association for Rural Mental Health
National Association of Certified Professional Midwives
National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
National Association of Community Health Workers
National Association of Counties
National Association of County Behavioral Health & Development Disability Directors
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of Social Workers
National Association of School Nurses
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Collaborative for Education to Address the Social Determinants of Health
National Council of Jewish Women
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
National Hispanic Medical Association
National Medical Association (NMA)
National Network of Public Health Institutes
National Nurse-Led Care Consortium
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Recreation and Park Association
National Register of Health Service Psychologists
National WIC Association
National Working Positive Coalition
Nemours Children’s Health System
NERDS RULE INC
Network for Environmental & Economic Responsibility
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials (NJACCHO)
New Jersey Public Health Association
NOELA Community Health Center
North Carolina Alliance for Health
North Central Public Health District
North Dakota Rural Health Association
Northern Michigan Community Health Innovation Region
NOVA ScriptsCentral
One Joplin
Oregon Vision Coalition
PacificSource
PFLAG National
Physicians for Social Responsibility, AZ Chapter
Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles
Piedmont Access To Health Services, Inc.
Presbyterian Healthcare Services
Prevent Blindness
Prevent Cancer Foundation
Prevention Institute
Project for Whole Health Learning in K-12
Population Health Alliance
Public Health Alliance of Southern California
Public Health Foundation
Public Health Institute
Redstone Center for Prevention and Wellness
Respiratory Health Association
RESULTS
RESULTS DC
Silver State Equality-Nevada
SLM Consulting, LLC
Society for Community Research & Action (SCRA)
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Society for Public Health Education
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
tahoe forest Hospital Care coordination
Tennessee Justice Center
The AIDS Institute
The Center for Community Resilience
The Gerontological Society of America
The Health Trust
The Fairfield Group
The Family Resource Network
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health
The National REACH Coalition
The Participatory Budgeting Project
The Praxis Project
The Pride Center at Equality Park
The Wall Las Memorias Project
Training Resources Network, Inc.
Treatment Action Group
Trust for America’s Health
United Way of Treasure Valley
Valley AIDS Council
Vita Health and Wellness Partnership
Washington State Department of Health
Wayne State University Center for Health and Community Impact
WE in the World
Well Being Trust
West Valley Neighborhoods Coalition
Western Idaho Community Health Collaborative
Wholesome Wave
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
Wright County Public Health
