Sullivan, Cortez Masto Introduce Legislation to Identify Factors Influencing Health Outcomes

09.26.24

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the Utilizing National Data, Effectively Reforming Standards and Tools, to Address Negative Determinants of Health (UNDERSTAND Health) Act to establish a clear definition of social determinants of health. This legislation would support the work that many Alaskans and Nevadans are already doing to address socioeconomic conditions that impact a person's health to keep Congress informed on future health policy.

"Studies have made it increasingly clear that Americans living in areas with limited access to health care, nutritious food, and quality housing can face lasting detrimental consequences for their physical health. Alaska is disproportionately impacted by this challenge, with dozens of communities off the road system that lack these basic amenities of life," said Sen. Sullivan. "The more information we have on how these conditions impact long-term health, the better we can treat and address health conditions before they become serious. The UNDERSTAND Act will make it easier for health care providers to collect and utilize this data to ultimately improve the health of Alaskans."

"The critical role stable access to food, housing, education, employment, and transportation plays in Americans' health has been overlooked for too long," said Senator Cortez Masto. "This bipartisan bill will help us better understand how these factors impact our physical and mental health so we can address challenges head on and improve the health of patients and communities across Nevada."

Below are statements from stakeholders supporting the UNDERSTAND Act.

"The All Alaska Pediatric Partnership (A2P2) believes all Alaska's children deserve to thrive and have equitable access to health care and related services," said Carmen Wenger, Acting Executive Director of A2P2. "This requires using data-driven approaches to address the social drivers of health that are foundational to wellbeing. The UNDERSTAND Act provides a standardized way to discern and respond to these needs, while also allowing local knowledge to inform practice and to support advancing the high standards of care we value for children and families in Alaska."

"As President & CEO of the Alaska Children's Trust, I know that addressing the root causes of child abuse and neglect means tackling the social determinants of health-factors like housing, food security, and access to transportation-that have a profound impact on the well-being of children and families," said Trevor Storrs. "The UNDERSTAND Act helps us move closer to root causes by standardizing how we collect and use this data, allowing us to more effectively target resources and interventions."

"Ensuring access to quality healthcare for Alaskans is our top priority at the Alaska Hospital & Healthcare Association (AHHA)," said Jared Kosin, President and CEO of AHHA. "We know that social drivers of health, such as safe housing, transportation, and food security, contribute to overall health. Standardizing and understanding these drivers is vital to effective healthcare delivery and access to services for Alaskans. We thank Senator Sullivan for prioritizing this issue and working to address unmet needs."

In addition to the Alaska Pediatric Partnership, the Alaska Children's Trust, and the Alaska Hospital & Healthcare Association, this bill is endorsed by Aligning for Health, the National Alliance to Impact the Social Determinants of Health (NASDOH), American Art Therapy Association, American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, American Association on Health and Disability, American Counseling Association, American Dance Therapy Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Group Psychotherapy Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, American Occupational Therapy Association, American Psychoanalytic Association, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Centerstone, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Cities Thrive Coalition, Clinical Social Work Association, Council on Social Work Education, Crisis Text Line, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action, Education Development Center, Fountain House, Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice, Huntington's Disease Society of America, International OCD Foundation, International Society for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses, The Jewish Federations of North America, The Kennedy Forum, Legal Action Center, Mental Health America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Association for Children's Behavioral Health, National Association for Rural Mental Health, National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National Board for Certified Counselors, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, National Eating Disorders Association, National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, National League for Nursing, National Register of Health Service Psychologists, National Women's Shelter Network, NHMH - No Health Without Mental Health, Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, Schizophrenia and Psychosis Action Alliance, School Based Health Alliance, SMART Recovery, The Trevor Project, and Treatment Communities of America.

Letters of support from these organizations can be found here.

The full text of the bill can be found here. A one pager is available here.

# # #

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.