Read instructions carefully. Please write a main discussion post with 3 references. and provide a response for each classmate’s post with 2 references each. (2 responses total)
Prepare:
Review the Congress website provided in the Resources and identify one recent (within the past 5 years) proposed health policy.
Review the health policy you identified and reflect on the background and development of this health policy.
Post a description of the health policy you selected and a brief background for the problem or issue being addressed. Which social determinant most affects this policy? Explain whether you believe there is an evidence base to support the proposed policy and explain why. Be specific and provide examples.
Resources:
Short, N. M. (2022). Milstead’s health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (7th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Chapter 4, “Policy Analysis and Design” (pp. 77–93)
Chapter 9, “The Influence of Patient Health Data on Health Policy” (pp. 197–217)
Chapter 10, “Financing Health Care” (pp. 247–257 only)
American Nurses Association (ANA). (n.d.). AdvocacyLinks to an external site.. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/
Congress.govLinks to an external site.. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.congress.gov/
Klein, K. J., & Sorra, J. S. (1996). The challenge of innovation implementationLinks to an external site.. Academy of Management Review, 21(4), 1055–1080.
Office of Policy, Performance, and Evaluation. (2019). The CDC policy processLinks to an external site.. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/policy/polaris/policyprocess/index.html
Sacristán, J., & Dilla, T. D. (2015). No big data without small data: Learning health care systems begin and end with the individual patientLinks to an external site.. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 21(6), 1014–1017.
Tummers, L., & Bekkers, V. (2014). Policy implementation, street level bureaucracy, and the importance of discretionLinks to an external site.. Public Management Review, 16(4), 527–547.
Classmate post 1
Hello Professor and Class,
Initial Post
Bill and Background
The policy I have selected is H.R.3548: Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act proposed by the House of Representatives. This proposed bill aims to address racial and ethnic inequities in mental health by outlining activities and modifying current programs. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is specifically required to put into action a plan aimed at improving behavioral and mental health and lessening the stigma attached to mental health issues and drug abuse disorders among racial and ethnic minorities. Regarding this approach, HHS must confer with the relevant advocacy groups and behavioral health organizations. In order to complete a study on research gaps pertaining to disparities in mental health among racial and ethnic minority groups, HHS must also attempt to enter into a contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act, 2023).
Mental health awareness and substance abuse has become more widespread in recent years with some suggesting we are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States. One in five Americans suffer from some form of mental illness (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). This astounding number is leading more organizations to look more closely at mental health.
Social Determinants of Health
The World Health Organization defines social determinants of health (SDOH) as a variety of factors that affect people’s health throughout their lives, including structural determinants and conditions of daily living that are unevenly distributed throughout the world and that over time contribute to the development of chronic illnesses, frequently among the most vulnerable (Monroe et al., 2023). The Healthy People 2020 Framework for SDOH laid the groundwork for investigating the function of SDOH concerning health and well-being, leading to a significant increase in our understanding of the impact of SDOH on adult health and well-being, including racial/ethnic disparities in SDOH (Monroe et al., 2023).
This bill proposes to enhance access to mental healthcare for racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. Some social determinants of health seen with minority groups include discrimination, unemployment, lower income, lack of support, lack of appropriate housing, lack of access to healthy food options, illiteracy, language barriers, lack of health insurance, and lack of access to healthcare (Aligning for Health, n.d.).
Supporting Evidence
There is evidence to suggest that minority groups are less likely to receive healthcare and medications related to their mental health. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 48% of people who identify as white non-Hispanic received mental health services, 31% of people who identify as African American received mental health services, 31% of people who identify as Hispanic received mental health services and 22% of people who identify as Asian received services (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Also, among American adults who received medications for mental health 16.6% identified as white non-Hispanic while 6.6% identified as African American (Cleveland Clinic, 2022).
References:
Aligning for Health. (n.d.). Social Determinants of Health. Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://aligningforhealth.flywheelsites.com/social-determinants-of-health/Links to an external site.
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, July 22). Caring for Mental Health in Minority Populations. Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/minority-mental-health
Monroe, P., Campbell, J.A., Harris, M. et al. Racial/ethnic differences in social determinants of health and health outcomes among adolescents and youth ages 10–24 years old: a scoping review. BMC Public Health 23, 410 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15274-x
National Institute of Mental Health. (2023, March). Mental Illness. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act, H.R.3548, 118th Congress. (2023). Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3548?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22mental+health%22%7D&s=3&r=8Links to an external site.
Classmate post 2
Week Seven Discussion:Evidence Base in Design
Initial Post
The Human Correctional Health Care Act Bill
The Humane Correctional Health Care Act Bill (S.1820) was introduced to Congress on June 6th 2023. The goal in presenting the S.1820 Bill is to ensure that an adequate standard of health care is implemented for the incarcerated and upcoming parole population (Congress.Gov, 2023). There are many correctional facilities located in the United States (US). Many correctional facilities are over-saturated with inmates, which ensures a high rate of individuals up for parole (Ahmad & Eves, 2020). It is imperative to ensure optimal health care services are available for individuals that are incarcerated.
If the bill passes into law, it will enable inmates to attain healthcare services no matter their financial status. The bill will also initiate a plan for future parolees, including resources for primary care physicians and government-issued assistance in dealing with health and daily living obstacles (Congress. Gov, 2023). Although there are many obstacles to overcome in prison, the death toll of inmates is among one of them. Data shows that in 2014 there were over 4900 deaths in US correctional facilities and jails combined with the highest number of reported deaths resulting from chronic health conditions (Fox et al., 2018). Although the incarceration death rates seem substantially high, this data does not include the aftermath of incarceration on the already paroled Population.
The death toll issues do not stop behind bars and, unfortunately, follow the individuals outside of the prison walls. Statistics state that an inmate is at a high risk of mortality following reentry into society (Fox et al., 2018). The reentry risk after parole can be immediate or prolonged, several years post-incarceration. Many results of death after parole involve chronic health issues such as cardiovascular disease, homicide, and suicide (Fox et al., 2018). Although many individuals are affected by poor health outcomes during incarceration and after parole, risks are increasing these outcomes. Some high-risk causations for increased healthcare issues in correctional facilities include gender, race, socioeconomic factors, community supervision, and incarceration histories, such as length of stay and reentry into the criminal system (Fox et al., 2018).
Another medical obstacle often seen after the release of prison inmates is an increase in kidney disease. The African American and Hispanic Populations have a higher prevalence rate of end-stage renal failure (Ahmad & Eves, 2020). Unfortunately, many factors play a negative role in the African American and Hispanic Population obtaining resources to maintain optimal health goals, such as stable housing and financial burden after incarceration (Ahmad & Eves, 2020). Without adequate resources, the incarcerated inmates and parolees are set up for failure when it comes to positive, healthy outcomes.
After choosing the proposed health policy and attaining evidence-based resources regarding the flaws in health care for the incarcerated Population, I believe that it is imperative to pass the Human Correctional Health Care Act Bill. It is not only necessary that these individuals have healthcare resources inside the correctional facility, but we must teach the inmates how to find the resources on the outside. Initiating a health plan at the beginning of incarceration is an excellent start with a contingency plan before parole that sets the inmate up with a primary care physician, a government-issued assistance program, and resources to careers centers to assist in keeping them out of the system. I believe this is imperative because it was easily accessible to find resources regarding the incarceration health care issues. I found more negative outcomes in the evidence-based resources than positive patient outcomes after parole. Passing the Humane Correctional Health Care Act could assist Primary Care Physicians, mental health, and other resources for individuals to reduce the negative healthcare outcome of incarcerated Populations and decrease mortality rates in prison and post-parole.
References
Ahmad, M. U., & Eves, M. M. (2020). The structural conundrum of parolees and kidney transplantation. Clinical Transplantation, 34(12), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/ctr.14104Links to an external site.
Fox, A. D., Moore, A., Binswanger, I. A., & Kinner, S. (2018). Deaths in Custody and Following Release. Journal of Health & Human Services Administration, 41(4), 45–84.
The Human Correctional Health Care Act, S. 1820, 118th Cong. (2023). Congress.Gov.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1820/text?s=3&r=10&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22inmate+health+care%22%7D
