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Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Health Braintrust has long established itself as an authority of African American and minority health policy on Capitol Hill. As the CBC Health Braintrust, under the able leadership of its Chair – Congresswoman Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the first woman medical doctor elected to the U.S. Congress and only current sitting African American physician in Congress – embarks on its health legislative efforts in the 110th Congress, it does so knowing that racial and ethnic health disparities and the absence of health equity and justice have long plagued the health, health care and life opportunities of African Americans and other people of color for the last century.

The CBC Health Braintrust, therefore, has adopted three ethoses that will guide its efforts around health disparity elimination and health equity and justice in the 110th Congress:

Ethos I: Eliminate racial and ethnic, as well as geographic health disparities now. The CBC Health Braintrust has long advocated for the elimination of racial and ethnic, as well as geographic health disparities. Numerous studies confirm that these disparities leave racial and ethnic minority Americans in poorer health, less likely to have access to needed health care services, and more likely to die prematurely – and often from preventable conditions – during their most productive life years than their white counterparts. Not only are these disparities a serious public health issue, but they also are challenging economic, moral, political and social issues that the CBC Health Braintrust is committed to addressing during the 110th Congress.

Ethos II: Health equity can be achieved only if the social determinants of health are adequately and appropriately addressed. The CBC Health Braintrust believes strongly that racial and ethnic health disparities will never be eliminated, and thus health equity and justice will never be achieved, until the foundation of the social determinants of health – the very foundation that not only sustains, but exacerbates health disparities – are etched away through strategic policy prioritization that extends beyond traditional health policy, and includes education, criminal justice, housing, labor and economic policy.

Ethos III: Health and health care investments that eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity and justice are “good” debt. The nation’s leading economists agree that “good” debt is investment debt that creates or improves value. The CBC Health Braintrust, therefore, believes firmly that racial and ethnic health disparities will continue to persist until we – as a Congress – view an increased expenditure in efforts to achieve health equity as “good” debt. The nation’s current investment in the war in Iraq – at $9 billion per month – is an example of “bad” debt because it has not created or improved value; it has created a United States that has lost the respect and good rapport with many of our global neighbors. To the contrary, by investing more in the health and health care of not only African Americans, but all Americans who have unmet health and health care needs, we are making an investment that will, in fact, create value by bolstering the health and well being of not only individuals and communities, but of the workforce, our defense and ultimately our nation.

Historically, progress in addressing racial and ethnic health disparities, and other minority health issues, has resulted from the complicated, and often sensitive interplay of research, policy and political action. With a new political climate, and with a renewed sense of urgency to address
and reduce the health inequities that exist in this nation, the CBC Health Braintrust will continue to be on the front lines of ascertaining the minority health repercussions of all health policy proposals, as well as other social and public policy proposals, and supporting legislation that will ensure health equity and justice across all populations.

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Congresswoman Christensen is pleased to announce the second annual National Health Disparities Conference will be held on December, 4-7, 2008 at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Croix. This event follows a very successful conference in July 2007 in Charleston entitled National Conference on Health Disparities: Past, Present and Future. For more information visit http://www.musc.edu/NCHD2007/index.php.

As more information is available, we will share it with you.


 
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