Letter to the Hon. Rosa DeLauro, Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Tom Cole, Ranking Member - Barragán to Ask Appropriations Committee to Fully Fund the Social Determinants of Health Program

Letter

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,