Prevention and Public Health Policy Archives - Page 16 of 20

Sign-on Letter to the President Supporting the Prevention and Public Health Fund (March 2017)

TFAH Statement: Budget Proposes Devastating Cuts for Public Health

Washington, D.C., March 16, 2017 – The below is a statement from John Auerbach, president and CEO, of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

“The President’s proposed budget – which includes nearly an 18 percent cut to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – would be devastating to the public health and safety of Americans. This would constitute an unprecedented harmful blow to the nation’s health.

While there are not sufficient details in the budget blueprint about the impact to HHS agencies, including at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is clear that such a big decrease would undercut core health programs that are needed to address any and all health problems.

There is nothing more valuable than the health and vitality of the American people. To achieve that, we need to maintain a strong and stable public health system. Such significant cuts would hurt the country’s health system – which is essential for taking on the range of epidemics we face – from major disease outbreaks to diabetes to prescription painkiller misuse.

A few CDC-specific areas referenced in the budget blueprint include:

A proposal for a $500 million block grant program for states via CDC. The proposal does not provide specifics about the program or where the funds would come from, beyond encouraging flexibility for states to focus on their leading public health challenges. We would raise major concerns that in the past – when funding sources have been combined, they have also been reduced – leaving states with less funding and with less ability to address the health problems of their citizens. States then end up in a position of having to make tough trade-offs about which health problems they can address.
The creation of a Federal Emergency Response Fund. The document, however, does not provide sufficient information to evaluate what the fund would look like or if there would be new resources to support it, or if support would be diverted at the expense of funding for other programs. While creating such a fund is important – to allow for access to immediate funds during health emergencies – it is essential that such a fund be supplemental – and not come at the expense or instead of maintaining an ongoing public health security and defense programs. We need both steady ongoing capabilities – as well as the ability to quickly access emergency supplemental funds in times of crises.
500 million to address the opioid epidemic. A national commitment to this priority health crisis is important. However, the budget proposal was unclear as to whether these are new funds, funds that came from passage of the CURES bill or funds diverted from other programs. In addition to specific funding to address the crisis, it is also essential to maintain and sufficiently support the underlying public health system that any response would build upon.

Proposed cuts to other agencies and programs also threaten to adversely impact the health of Americans. For instance, the 31 percent proposed cut to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could potentially roll back decades of progress protecting against the health impacts of air and water pollution. And, stable and secure housing is a major factor for maintaining good health – and the proposed 13 percent cut to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including eliminating the Community Development Block Grant program, would contribute to harming the health and stability of numerous vulnerable families.

These cuts would be historically damaging to our nation’s health. The country is at a crossroads – where we have the knowledge and capability to help Americans have healthier, longer lives – but if we don’t invest and maintain these efforts, we will be taking a turn down the wrong path. The lives of our families are too valuable, and the stakes are too high to undercut our health and wellbeing.”

Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority.

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TFAH Statement: Strongly Opposed to the House Obamacare Replacement Bill

Washington, D.C., March 7, 2017 – The below is a statement from John Auerbach, president and CEO, of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

“We are strongly opposed to the House Obamacare Replacement bill, which would repeal significant portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

Under this plan, millions of people could lose health insurance—a devastating blow to the health of many of our nation’s most vulnerable individuals and families. Without affordable insurance coverage we will see increased levels of preventable illnesses, injuries and deaths.

In addition, eliminating the Prevention Fund would erase 12 percent of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) budget. Of that investment, $625 million directly supports state and local public health efforts to fight preventable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Losing this funding would wreak havoc on our efforts to reduce chronic disease rates, immunize our children, stop the prescription drug and opioid epidemic and prepare the public health system to prevent infectious disease outbreaks.

We know how to prevent many chronic and infectious illnesses—which make up a significant portion of the $3 trillion the nation spends yearly on healthcare. If we lose access to health care coverage and to the Prevention Fund, our children, families and communities will suffer and ultimately costs will rise.

The bottom line? This Bill would make untold numbers of the American people less healthy.”

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TFAH Statement on the Draft House Republican Obamacare Replacement Bill: Our Nation’s Health Will Suffer

Washington, D.C., February 24, 2017 – The below is a statement from John Auerbach, president and CEO, of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

“The draft House Republican Obamacare replacement bill—which would eliminate the Prevention and Public Health Fund—would threaten the health of American children, families and communities.

Thanks to the Prevention Fund, hundreds of thousands of Americans benefit from increased access to vaccines and other preventive health services. Quite simply, more people are getting and remaining healthy because of the Prevention Fund.

Yet, the proposed replacement bill would eliminate this important Fund and 12 percent of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) budget along with it.

And, without the Prevention Fund, states will lose substantial sums of money—totaling as much as $3 billion over the next 5 years—which fight growing epidemics and emerging diseases.

Every year, we spend $3 trillion on healthcare, yet millions suffer from chronic diseases and death rates among Blacks and other people of color remain too high. At the same time, death rates among white middle-aged Americans increased for the first time in decades, mainly due to preventable conditions.

Time and again research shows that the vast majority of these conditions—heart disease, diabetes and others—can be prevented by investing in addressing the root causes. Yet, the country has repeatedly failed to do so.

The nation cannot afford to trade away our single best investment in preventing disease, preparing for and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, reducing rates of chronic illness, and saving lives and money.

If this draft becomes law, our nation’s health will suffer—and it will be exponentially harder to fight growing epidemics, like the rise in prescription drug and heroin overdoses.”

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It Takes a Village: How Mancelona, Michigan Worked Together to Improve Health and Education

By Mike Swain, MPH, Community Health Coordinator, Health Department of Northwest Michigan

In the early 1990s, residents of Mancelona (a northern Michigan town) had limited access to healthcare, social services and higher education and there were sparse employment opportunities.

With the lowest per capita income in the immediate area, most families lived in poverty, and were underinsured, uninsured altogether or enrolled in Medicaid.

Some of the community’s youngest were hardest hit: the area had the state’s highest rates of youth physical and sexual abuse, teen pregnancies, drinking and drug use. And as could be expected, these health risks had a significant impact on academic performance – with behavior problems in the classroom, low grades, and high dropout rates. In the 1994-95 school year, 39 percent of Mancelona high schoolers dropped out and just 64 percent of the senior class graduated.

Terry McCleod, the Middle School Principal at the time, recognized the critical role of student health and wellness in academic success – and he led the charge for change in Mancelona.

First, he brought together a grassroots network of public and private service providers. Along with a three year grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, they built Project S.H.A.R.E. (School Home Alliance for Restructured Education) to provide a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the gaps and needs in Mancelona.

The results made it clear that any successful, lasting intervention would need to improve the environment and families by addressing the underlying, interconnected issues of poverty. The layout of the community’s schools—all three were essentially on the same campus—allowed for a unique solution: building a dedicated family resource center right next to school grounds. With thoughtful outreach, community advocates and the public health administration were engaged in the cause, and the land for this building was secured.

The group secured a grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to fund the beginning of construction, with the Mancelona Family Resource Center (MFRC) officially opening in 1996.

MFRC housed health, social, daycare, educational, and economic services, offering a unique and comprehensive suite of services to support Mancelona’s students and their families. Staffing and programs were brought in with continued support from Project S.H.A.R.E., including the Michigan Works! Association – which resided in a dedicated wing of the MFRC.

Michigan Works! played a critical role in turning the tide of poverty by strengthening the employability of adults with workforce development services and mobilization of local businesses.

Still, quality healthcare was at the heart, with the local Health Department providing previously unattainable care, including a Dental Health Clinic, on site. Additionally, the MFRC team provided convenient and confidential, family planning, reproductive health services, and education. And working closely with the school, this innovative approach included the development of a dedicated class for pregnant mothers to help improve the health of future Mancelona generations.

Over time, partnerships and additional resources were added within the center, the school and the community. In 2001, Communities In Schools (CIS) began providing programs and services in Mancelona. Founded on the national CIS model, this non-profit organization provided new programs for before/after school activities, mentoring and tutoring.

The CIS team worked in collaboration with the MFRC, providing care coordination and referrals for students and their families. And, when the state of Michigan expanded school-linked health center qualification requirements to include areas with rural status, the MFRC leadership were among the first applicants in line. Mancelona was included with the first round of funded centers under this new qualification.

In 2006, with this additional funding, the Mancelona school-linked health center opened, called the Ironmen Health Center, was opened. The Center offered services to students aged 10-21 regardless of health insurance status. In addition, social work and behavioral health services were provided.

By blending and braiding different funding sources and bringing to bear all community resources to link families to important social services and interventions, the community is much improved.

In fact, rates of teen pregnancy, drug and tobacco use, and child abuse are all down. And, high school graduation is up—to 91 percent, a 42 percent increase from the inception of project.

The benefits of this innovative care model doesn’t stop there: 60 percent of the 2013 graduating class enrolled in college that fall. And nearly 100 percent of the 2015 seniors are making plans to pursue some form of higher education or technical skills training post-graduation. What was once and ending is now just the beginning of a story.

Here you can find a timeline and more information on the model, including details on the Women’s Resource Center, Communities in Schools and the Ironmen Health Center.

CDC to Lose More than $5 Billion, States to Lose More than $3 Billion to Fight Health Epidemics over Five Years, if the ACA and Prevention and Public Health Fund are Repealed

Washington, D.C., January 17, 2017 – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would lose 12 percent of its annual budget if the Prevention and Public Health Fund, part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), were repealed, according to an analysis by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

States would end up losing more than $3 billion over the next five years – from grants and programs supported by the Prevention Fund.

“CDC is the world’s leading public health authority and the front line against major threats to the health and well-being of the American people—such as disease outbreaks, prescription drug misuse and diabetes,” said John Auerbach, President and CEO of TFAH. “Losing the Prevention Fund would result in diminished support for public health in every state, undermining their ability to fight epidemics and keep people safe. The costs of these vital public health efforts will either be passed along to states or the efforts will be eliminated—resulting in more people becoming sick and higher healthcare costs.”

The $890 million gap in CDC’s annual funding created by eliminating the Prevention Fund could not be filled under current laws without drawing funds away from other Department of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services programs. Among activities supported directly by the Prevention Fund are grants to states for infectious disease control, resources through the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant and other core public health programs which, if cut, would increase illness, injuries and preventable deaths.

If the Prevention Fund is eliminated, the impact will be felt at the local, state and federal levels as public health organizations respond to several major health crises that are on the rise, such as:

Health Security Funds for Disease Outbreaks, Disasters and Bioterrorism: With the exception of the one-time-only funding for Ebola and Zika, the core funding for preparedness and response to health emergencies has been cut by more than one-third in the past decade. CDC has responded to more than 750 health emergencies in the past two years. Infectious diseases cost the country more than $120 billion per year, and that cost grows exponentially when major new diseases strike.
Prescription Painkiller and Heroin Use: Deaths from opioids have more than quadrupled in the past 15 years. Nationally, more than 2 million Americans misuse prescription drugs, and nearly a half million are addicted to heroin, costing the country more than $55 billion a year in healthcare, workplace and criminal justice spending. CDC plays a critical role by providing support to states and healthcare providers to monitor and control the inappropriate prescribing of opioids.
Obesity and Diabetes: Nearly 38 percent of adults are obese and more than one-third of children are overweight or obese, contributing to more than $200 billion in direct health costs. One in three children could develop diabetes in their lifetime, and one in four are not healthy enough to serve in the military by the ages of 17 to 24.
Declining Life Expectancy: Life expectancy in the United States has declined for the first time in two decades. While death rates are higher among Blacks and other people of color, death rates have increased the fastest (by 10 percent since 1999) among middle-aged White men and women (ages 45 to 54). Increasing death rates among middle-aged Whites are the highest in West Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Arkansas. Amounts each state stands to lose over the next 5 years if the Prevention Fund was repealed (based on fiscal year 2016 grants to state)

State	Potential Five Year PPHF Loss, Based on FY 2016 Funding
Alabama	$44,867,115
Alaska	$22,312,985
Arizona	$46,840,075
Arkansas	$29,599,945
California	$307,768,530
Colorado	$44,671,845
Connecticut	$36,728,860
Delaware	$12,462,820
District of Columbia	$51,533,080
Florida	$101,864,250
Georgia	$100,421,755
Hawaii	$40,025,880
Idaho	$22,428,585
Illinois	$93,084,850
Indiana	$41,381,450
Iowa	$35,630,210
Kansas	$45,329,065
Kentucky	$40,687,570
Louisiana	$45,111,030
Maine	$27,588,000
Maryland	$84,876,045
Massachusetts	$88,112,505
Michigan	$110,739,075
Minnesota	$80,759,870
Mississippi	$31,276,855
Missouri	$53,853,865
Montana	$24,831,145
Nebraska	$47,957,625
Nevada	$19,174,580
New Hampshire	$24,967,020
New Jersey	$60,558,365
New Mexico	$43,257,135
New York	$207,587,230
North Carolina	$85,917,320
North Dakota	$14,975,550
Ohio	$114,951,125
Oklahoma	$46,585,755
Oregon	$46,462,400
Pennsylvania	$111,991,355
Rhode Island	$40,238,960
South Carolina	$56,576,525
South Dakota	$18,732,825
Tennessee	$67,537,910
Texas	$147,214,850
Utah	$49,396,510
Vermont	$14,637,565
Virginia	$77,104,520
Washington	$70,060,890
West Virginia	$22,669,320
Wisconsin	$64,120,145
Wyoming	$11,024,970

Special Issue Brief: National Survey of Registered Voters on Public Health

Trust for America’s Health Announces New President and CEO, John Auerbach

Washington, D.C., October 7, 2016–Today, Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) announced the selection of John Auerbach, MBA, as its new President and CEO.

Auerbach brings more than 35 years of experience as a leader in the public health field – including serving as the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Health, Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, and, most recently, Associate Director for Policy and Acting Director of the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“John is a true innovator in public health and we cannot be more pleased to have him as the new head of TFAH,” said Gail Christopher, board chair of TFAH and vice president for policy and senior advisor at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “His work embodies a transformative approach to improving health – thinking beyond medical care to support opportunities for better health in our daily lives. We share a vision where every American has the chance to be as healthy as they can be.”

At CDC, Auerbach has focused on promotion of public health and prevention as components of healthcare and payment reform and health system transformation. He also oversees key activities and technical assistance that support the nation’s health departments and the public health system.

Previously, he was, from 2012 to 2014, a distinguished professor of practice in health sciences and director of the Institute on Urban Health Research and Practice at Northeastern University. From 2007 to 2012, he was the commissioner of public health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Under his leadership, the department developed innovative programs to address racial and ethnic disparities, promote wellness, combat chronic disease, and support the successful implementation of the state’s early healthcare reform initiative. He served as the President of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) in 2010-2011.

Prior to that, Auerbach was the executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission for nine years during which health equity, emergency preparedness, and tobacco prevention became priorities. In addition to Boston’s public health programs, he oversaw its emergency medical, homeless, and substance abuse services. Throughout his tenure as the city commissioner, Auerbach served as a member of the Board of Directors at the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).

Earlier in his career Auerbach worked at the state health department for a decade, first as chief of staff and later as an assistant commissioner overseeing the HIV/AIDS Bureau during the early years of the epidemic. He was a founding member and the second president of the National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD).

“I’ve had a lifelong commitment to health and social justice, from the start of my career as a community health worker in one of the earliest community health centers to having the privilege of managing city, state and federal efforts,” said Auerbach. “We’re in a unique moment to define the next generation of health and healthcare – and I am excited to be joining TFAH and being at the leading edge of efforts to advance the mission of creating a healthier America.”

Auerbach will start in his role January 1, 2017. TFAH’s previous executive director, Jeffrey Levi, PhD, is now serving as Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University.

Richard Hamburg, who has been Interim President and CEO at TFAH, will be assuming the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

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Outbreaks

«state» Scored «score_upper» Out of 10 on Key Indicators Related to Preventing, Detecting, Diagnosing and Responding to Outbreaks

Report Finds Major Gaps in Country’s Ability to Prevent and Control Infectious Disease Outbreaks

Washington, D.C., December 17, 2015 – A new report released today by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) finds «state» scored «score_lower» out of 10 on key indicators related to preventing, detecting, diagnosing and responding to outbreaks.

Twenty-eight states and Washington, D.C. scored 5 or lower out of 10 key indicators. Five states—Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, New York and Virginia—tied for the top score, achieving eight out of 10 indicators. Seven states — Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah — tied for the lowest score at three out of 10.

The report, Outbreaks: Protecting Americans from Infectious Diseases, concluded that the United States must redouble efforts to better protect Americans from new infectious disease threats such as MERS-CoV and antibiotic-resistant Superbugs and resurging illnesses like whooping cough, tuberculosis and gonorrhea.

“The overuse of antibiotics and underuse of vaccinations along with unstable and insufficient funding have left major gaps in our country’s ability to prepare for infectious disease threats,” said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH. “We cannot afford to continue to be complacent. Infectious diseases – which are largely preventable – disrupt the lives of millions of Americans and contribute to billions of dollars in unnecessary healthcare costs each year.”

Some key «state» findings include:

No.	Indicator	«state»	Number of States Receiving Points
A “Y” means the state received a point for that indicator
1	Public Health Funding: State increased or maintained funding for public health between FY 2013 to 2014 and FY 2014 to 2015.	«metric1»	34 and Washington, D.C.
2	Flu Vaccination Rates: State vaccinated at least half of their population (ages 6 months and older) for the seasonal flu from Fall 2014 to Spring 2015. The rate was «flu_vaccine_rate» in «state», the national average is 47.1 percent.	«metric2»	18
3	Childhood Immunization School Requirement Policies: State law either excludes philosophical exemptions entirely or requires a parental notarization or affidavit to achieve a religious or philosophical exemption for school attendance. In 2014, there were more than 600 cases of measles and nearly 33,000 cases of whooping cough reported. While more than 90 percent of U.S. kindergarteners receive all recommended vaccinations, rates are lower in a number of communities and states. More than 28 percent of preschoolers do not receive all recommended vaccinations.	«metric3»	20
4	HIV/AIDS Surveillance: State requires reporting of all (detectable and undetectable) CD4 cell count (a type of white blood cell) and HIV viral load data to their state HIV surveillance program. Of the more than 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV, almost one in eight do not know they are infected. (As of July 2013.)	«metric4»	43 and Washington, D.C.
5	Syringe Exchange Programs: State explicitly authorizes syringe exchange programs (SEP). Hepatitis C infections—related to a rise in heroin and injection drug use from people transitioning from prescription painkillers—increased by more than 150 percent nationally from 2010 to 2013.	«metric5»	16 and Washington, D.C.
6	Climate Change and Infectious Disease: State currently has climate change adaptation plans completed.	«metric6»	15
7	Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI): State reduced the standard infection rate (SIR) for CLABSI between 2012 and 2013. «state» has a CLABSI SIR of «clabsi_2013_sir». The national CLABSI SIR is 0.5. Around one out of every 25 people who are hospitalized each year contracts some form of healthcare-associated infection leading to around 75,000 deaths a year.	«metric7»	9
8	Public Health Laboratories: State laboratories reported having a biosafety professional from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.	«metric8»	36
9	Public Health Laboratories: State laboratories provided biosafety training and/or information about courses for sentinel clinical labs in their jurisdiction from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.	«metric9»	35
10	Food Safety: State met the national performance target of testing 90 percent of reported E.coli O157 cases within four days (in 2013). Around 48 million Americans get sick from a foodborne illness each year.	«metric10»	39 and Washington, D.C.
Total		«score_upper»

“America’s investments in infectious disease prevention ebb and flow leaving our nation challenged to sufficiently address persistent problems,” said Paul Kuehnert, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation director. “We need to reboot our approach so we support the health of every community by being ready when new infectious threats emerge.”

The Outbreaks report features priority recommendations, including:

Increase resources to ensure every state can maintain and modernize basic capabilities – such as epidemiology and laboratory abilities – that are needed to respond to new and ongoing outbreaks;
Update disease surveillance to be real-time and interoperable across communities and health systems to better detect, track and contain disease threats;
Incentivize the development of new medicines and vaccines, and ensure systems are in place to effectively distribute them when needed;
Decrease antibiotic overuse and increase vaccination rates;
Improve and maintain the ability of the health system to be prepared for a range of potential threats – such as an influx of patients during a widespread outbreak or the containment of a novel, highly infectious organism that requires specialty care;
Strengthen efforts and policies to reduce healthcare-associated infections;
Take strong measures to contain the rising hepatitis C epidemic and other sexually transmitted infections, particularly among young adults; and
Adopt modern strategies to end AIDS in every state and city.

The indicators represent examples of important capabilities, policies and trends, and were selected in consultation with leading public health and healthcare officials. The report and state-by-state materials are available on TFAH’s website at www.healthyamericans.org.

Score Summary:

A full list of all of the indicators and scores and the full report are available on TFAH’s website. For the state-by-state scoring, states received one point for achieving an indicator or zero points if they did not achieve the indicator, with zero the lowest possible overall score and 10 the highest. The data for the indicators are from publicly available sources or were provided from public officials.

8 out of 10: Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, New York and Virginia
7 out of 10: Alaska, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Nebraska
6 out of 10: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin
5 out of 10: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington
4 out of 10: Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wyoming
3 out of 10: Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah

For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care. We are striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.

TFAH Opposes any Attempts to Defer or Transfer any portion of the Prevention and Public Health Fund

Washington, D.C., December 10, 2015 – Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) strongly opposes cutting, deferring or transferring any portion of the Prevention and Public Health Fund. The following is a statement from Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH.

“It is important to help Puerto Rico, but eliminating any funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund would be a tremendous setback for public health.

For the past six years, the Prevention Fund has provided nearly $5.25 billion in resources to states, communities, territories (including Puerto Rico), and tribal and community organizations to support community-based prevention, including tobacco use prevention, healthy eating and active living, childhood immunizations and clinical prevention. In total, the Fund has:

Doubled the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, which provides all 50 states, the District of Columbia, two American Indian tribes, and eight U.S. territories with flexible funding to address their unique public health issues at the state and community level;
Expanded access to cancer screenings;
Supported the successful Tips from Former Smokers campaign, which has inspired more than 1.6 million people to try to quit smoking, with more than 100,000 smokers have quit for good; and
Increased funding for the section 317 childhood immunization program, which has been vital to preventing and responding to measles outbreaks.

Lastly, Puerto Rico has received more than $431 million through the Fund to prevent tobacco use, improve lab capacity, strengthen surveillance systems, and to address their unique public health needs.

Clearly, cutting even a portion of the Prevention Fund would dramatically impede efforts underway to improve health across the nation and in Puerto Rico, as noted by the more than 900 national, state and local organizations, including the Puerto Rico Department of Health, that have pledged their support for the Fund.

We urge Congress to find a realistic source of funding to provide the assistance Puerto Rico needs.”

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