FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán announced she will ask the House Appropriations Committee to fully fund the Social Determinants of Health Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a letter to be sent to Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro and Ranking Member Tom Cole, Congresswoman Barragán wrote: “A healthier, more resilient population and stronger economy requires us to prevent and control health conditions that raise health care costs and put lives at risk. We urge you to fund CDC’s Social Determinants of Health Program at $153 million in order to create a national investment in addressing the conditions that affect the health and livelihoods of all communities and prevent disease at the outset.”
The Social Determinants of Health Program was developed during last year’s appropriation’s process and was based, in part, on Barragán’s Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (H.R. 379), which would create a program at the CDC focused on addressing social factors that impact public health. The $153 million request is in line with President Biden’s budget proposal.
Social factors – like housing conditions, employment status, food security, environmental safety, and educational opportunity – all play a role in determining individuals’ physical health and well-being.
The Social Determinants of Health Program aims to address these issues in a coordinated way, as they drive inequalities in the health of individuals and communities. Through grants and guidance, this program would empower public health departments and community organizations to lead efforts to build integrated systems that research and address the social factors that negatively impact health in their regions.
Congresswoman Barragán’s letter to Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Cole was co-signed by 20 of her colleagues: Congressmembers G.K. Butterfield (N.C.), Ted Deutch (Fla.), Yvette D. Clarke (N.Y.), Jamie Raskin (Md.), Raúl M. Grijalva (Ariz.), Joseph D. Morelle (N.Y.), Katie Porter (Calif.), Brian Higgins (N.Y), Barbara Lee (Calif.), Tony Cardenas (Calif.), Bobby Rush (Ill.), Sharice L. Davids (Kan.), Grace F. Napolitano (Calif.), Doris Matsui (Calif.), Al Lawson (Fla.), Alan Lowenthal (Calif.), Abigail D. Spanberger (Va.), Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas) and Diana DeGette (Colo.).
A PDF of the letter can be found here.
Full text of the letter is below:
April 28, 2021
The Honorable Rosa DeLauro, Chairwoman The Honorable Tom Cole, Ranking Member
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor
Health and Human Services, and Education Health and Human Services, and Education
2358-B Rayburn House Office Bldg. 1016 Longworth House Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Cole:
As you and your colleagues begin to work on the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY 2022) appropriations bills, it is imperative that the Social Determinants of Health Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) be funded at $153 million, which is line with President Biden’s budget, and in line with the public health approach outlined in the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (H.R. 379). We sincerely thank the Labor-HHS Subcommittee for funding the program for the first time in FY 2021 at $3 million. We ask that this initial investment be built upon to ensure we address the social determinants of health in underserved communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how a community’s resources directly impact the health of its residents. Unsafe or unstable housing, income insecurity, lack of transportation, and underlying health inequities put some populations at higher risk during this public health emergency. People at disproportionate risk for serious health impacts from COVID-19 are also more likely to suffer secondary consequences, such as loss of income or health care. Now, more than ever, it is important to address the social and economic conditions, including housing, employment, food security, and education, that contribute significantly to an individual’s health outcomes over their lifetime.
A healthier, more resilient population and stronger economy requires us to prevent and control health conditions that raise health care costs and put lives at risk. We urge you to fund CDC’s Social Determinants of Health Program at $153 million in order to create a national investment in addressing the conditions that affect the health and livelihoods of all communities and prevent disease at the outset.
Sincerely,
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Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington. She serves as chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Border Security.