Shanta Whitaker-Toney,PhD,MPH

To keep up momentum in the fight for health equity, we need to celebrate wins. That’s why I wrote about some good news in the health policy space for RWJF’s blog. I wanted to share recent efforts by RWJF to make healthcare more inclusive across the U.S. We submitted public comments on several federal rules to help make sure they were written in a way that best serves the public. The rules that were passed mean healthcare just got more accessible and better protected for everyone, but especially for: ✔️People eligible for Medicaid and CHIP ✔️Immigrants ✔️People with disabilities ✔️Those seeking reproductive healthcare, and ✔️LGBTQIA+ people Read more about these important changes: https://rwjf.ws/IvJzMr

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Community engagement is all the rage in healthcare, but do you know how to do it effectively? Learn how organizations can engage members of the communities they serve to build trust, advance health equity, and improve care outcomes in a new report from INSPIRE. It’s a roadmap for how organizations can go beyond inviting the community to the table toward learning how to build the table from the ground up together. Stay tuned for more tools coming out over the next year from the INSPIRE team, that will help translate the recommendations in this roadmap into action. https://lnkd.in/empWV4kt

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"Any discussion of public health funding in the U.S. must start with how little there is." If you want to better understand the sad state of public health funding, this is the piece to read. #publichealth #funding https://lnkd.in/dbnVpkuQ

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The public health workforce report we released last month made it clear that investment in public health careers is a smart economic move for our region. Why? Public health careers don’t just improve community health—they’re critical drivers of economic development. By increasing the number of people in stable, well-paying jobs in public health, the entire region benefits. 👉What the data says: 👈 ✅ The expected 6,000+ job increase in healthcare and public health occupations over the next five years will infuse the local economy with a workforce earning above-average wage ✅ Public health jobs offer wages significantly above the living wage, with roles like medical and health services managers earning an average of $64.87 per hour, contributing to increased spending power across the region. ✅ 2,827 annual job openings in community and social services public health roles are projected through 2028, providing stable employment opportunities for Inland Empire residents​ Imagine if a corporation offered to relocate to the Inland Empire and bring in 2,000 jobs. Local leaders would jump at the chance to invest in infrastructure to support that move. Public health careers offer that same opportunity—but the investment needed is in education, not infrastructure. By preparing students to fill these roles, we can strengthen the economy and ensure that the region’s growth benefits everyone. #PublicHealthCareers #EconomicDevelopment #JobGrowth #HealthcareJobs #InlandEmpire

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Thanks Nonprofit Quarterly - Tonie Marie Gordon, PhD! Moving from Crisis to Healing in Maternal Health: A Conversation with Jennie Joseph "TMG: As you so eloquently said, there is a lot of misplaced blame on the social determinants of health and on economic circumstances. But we already know that there’s something much deeper going on in terms of systemic racism. So, for Black women especially who are embarking upon pregnancy and birth, or in postpartum, how can they advocate for themselves? What are people empowered to do in this moment?   JJ: That is a question I’m asked often. Firstly, I would like to preface my answer with the understanding that we shouldn’t have to save our own lives. Yet here we are. And I think that’s important because there is this tendency to blame something else, which typically means blaming the mother." Read more here......

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Today is Policy Day of Black Maternal Health Week, so let’s talk about a few policies we should implement to improve maternal health care for Black pregnant people. Here’s a to-do list for policymakers on this year’s BMHW: ✔️ Expand Medicaid to 12 months postpartum in all 50 states: Dr. Jessica Pineda of Brown University found that “Black mothers are twice as likely to experience maternal mental health conditions but half as likely to receive treatment compared to White mothers.” Expanding Medicaid could help expand access to vital mental health services for conditions like postpartum depression. ✔️ Expand Medicaid to cover doula and midwife care: OB-GYN Dr. Dawn Owens Robinson said “Doulas save lives,” and the data proves it. Doulas help reduce disparities in Black maternal health care, and shouldn’t just be a privilege for the wealthy. ✔️ Protect reproductive rights: Black women living in states where abortion access is restricted face disproportionate risks from unintended pregnancies. Access to the full spectrum of reproductive care is important for maternal health overall.

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So many important and practical points in this article on "The Community as Full Partner" co-authored by Rx partner Denise Octavia Smith MBA, BS, CHW, PN, SFC, of the National Association of Community Health Workers! The insights here resonate strongly with what we hear from Rx Foundation community-based partners across the US about their experiences with public funding and partnerships. "As the pandemic recedes, there is a risk of losing hard-won partnerships and funding for community-led programs that should be expanded to address ongoing public health challenges." Challenges to continued public health-CBO partnerships include: *Public health departments are underfunded and lack staff to build relationships with community *Disease-specific public funding doesn't match how community based organizations (CBOs) work most effectively *Communities are not sufficiently engaged in public health planning and decision-making Recommendations to strengthen public health-CBO partnerships: *Require public health agencies to form community councils with a formal decision-making role *Dedicate government public health funding for CBOs *Make this funding flexible, not disease-specific, and long-term *Fund CBOs up front, not by reimbursement *Create technical assistance and training programs to build the capacity of public health-CBO partnerships *Increase diversity across the public health workforce https://lnkd.in/dcsqk-hb

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Discussing the power of data to address the most critical health issues - Karen Knudsen MBA PhD NASEM Health and Medicine Division Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) https://lnkd.in/e3iZ35-Z #OncoDaily #Oncology #Cancer #Health #Medicine #HealthCare

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It’s time we start thinking about policies and programs that integrate the health-generating, protective power of spirituality. The growing body of research links spiritual beliefs, spiritual care integrated within health systems, and assets including a strong spiritual community to many beneficial health outcomes including lower all-cause mortality “Although the intersections between spirituality and well-being have existed through millennia, a compelling body of empirical research currently allows policy makers to learn from and build on numerous contemporary models of integrated health policies and practices.….public health systems must seek additional ways to recognize spiritual determinants of health as a vital dimension, and extension, of whole-person, whole-community well-being.”

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🚨 Upcoming Webinar Alert! 🚨 Join the Region IV Public Health Training Center for an insightful webinar: Webinar Topic: Navigating the Public Health Data Landscape with Data Governance, Literacy, and Equity 🗓 Date: November 19 🕛 Time: 12 - 1:30 pm EST 🎤 Presenter: Jonathan Ong and Lauren Cook, Mecklenburg County Public Health Department In today’s rapidly evolving public health environment, building a strong foundation in data governance, literacy, and equity is essential for creating a data-driven and equitable public health system. This webinar explores how these foundational components can empower public health organizations to better serve communities and address health disparities. These efforts are essential for ensuring that public health workers are well-equipped to collect, manage, and utilize data responsibly and effectively. By fostering internal understanding and collaboration, public health organizations can lay the groundwork for supporting communities with the data-driven insights needed to improve health outcomes. 🔗 Register here: https://buff.ly/3Z4sDRv Don't miss this chance to learn and engage! 🌟

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Around 1,400 federally funded health clinics have adjusted their fees to accommodate what patients can afford to pay, but this can come at a financial loss, especially in rural areas.   Almost a quarter of patients utilizing community health centers were disenrolled from Medicaid during the program’s post-pandemic unwinding. Health centers nationwide are seeing more uninsured patients, leading to cuts in services and staffing. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4bV2uYW  

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As I reflect on the election results and what they mean for our nation, for our work in public health policy, and for our families and friends in BIPOC, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and other communities, I am reminded of the strength of so many before us who persevered during arduous times. As advocates and changemakers, our collective heritage is one of determination, hope, and resilience. Every level of government is critical to our democracy, and while the federal government sets many parameters for essential policies, lower levels of government are largely responsible for implementing them. State and local governments play a key role in protecting and promoting public health and are responsible for addressing their communities’ unique needs and challenges. As we continue to learn more about state and local election results, we will have numerous opportunities to support community health and justice. ChangeLab Solutions and our partners are working hard across the nation — from West Virginia to Oklahoma to California — to support health and dignity for all. On November 19, I will participate in a forward-looking webinar hosted by HealthBegins that will discuss health equity in the wake of the election. As we pivot from reflection on election results to action on community priorities, this webinar will highlight some of the most urgent challenges and opportunities in the post-election landscape and seek to map a way forward for the public health community. I hope you’ll join us. https://lnkd.in/gtdcvuyb We are not alone in our resolve to stand up for health equity and racial justice. We are stronger when we work together. The ChangeLab Solutions team stands ready to partner with organizations and advocates across the country to build a healthier, more inclusive nation for everyone.

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NEW REPORT: For nearly 2 decades, RWJF and our partners and allies have worked together to address the root causes of childhood obesity and keep kids healthier. Learn more about the impact we’ve made together: https://bit.ly/3CYOoJN

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It's been two years since the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. The latest state scorecard by The Commonwealth Fund offers a baseline for evaluating the impacts of policy changes resulting from the ruling. Surveying data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the scorecard delves into the status of women's health and reproductive care in the U.S. The study uncovers concerning trends: States with restrictions tend to have fewer maternity care providers, with the highest maternal death rates observed in states with full bans. The research highlights that the gaps in women's health and reproductive care may widen in post-Roe America, particularly affecting Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native women, along with those with low incomes in states with limited care access. Learn more about these findings and their implications: https://buff.ly/3WswPsU #WomenHealth #WomensHealthCare #HealthPolicy

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* 🔥 NEW MATERNAL HEALTH RESOURCE ALERT 🔥 * Improving the postpartum experience for all women requires a comprehensive approach across the health care ecosystem. Check out our new resource mapping the multitude of policy priorities for postpartum care. We must do better for women and families and this document shows the multitude of ways organizations and leaders are doing just that. So many diverse stakeholders, including health care providers, community organizations, advocates, policymakers, and more, are working to improve maternal health care. Each brings a unique lens and perspective and addresses and improves different facets of the perinatal experience. However, without a comprehensive mapping of the **postpartum care ecosystem,** efforts to improve postpartum care may be fragmented and lead to duplicated efforts, inefficient resource allocation, and missed opportunities for collaboration. Recognizing this gap in the research, United States of Care led the effort to map, for the first time, the **organizational landscape and postpartum-related policy priorities**. Link below and let us know what you think!

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Debuting the official group picture of the wonderful 2024-25 cohort of RWJF Health Policy Fellows! To read more about the expertise Nicolle, Michael, Tonya, Shamie, Tracey, Sujith and Rani bring to DC, please visit: https://lnkd.in/g5DpWhv3 #FellowsFriday #HealthPolicy #HealthPolicyFellows

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How does the way we collect data impact racial equity efforts? This insightful conversation between my friends Alonzo Plough and Gail Christopher walks through this exact question. This quote from Alonzo stood out to me: “We must reform our public health systems to address structural racism, and this requires that we collect and analyze data in ways that accurately reflect the serious harms that racism and other forms of discrimination inflict on our communities.” I see this very clearly in my work as a policy advocate — inclusive health data helps us understand not only health disparities themselves, but the social inequities that create and widen those disparities, and the efficacy of potential solutions. https://lnkd.in/e8XnS5iN

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