November/December, 2009

On the Hill...

Healthcare Reform Prevention and Wellness – The Latest

NCPPA National Strategic Partner member, the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) has continued to keep the wellness and prevention communities apprised with up to the minute accounts of healthcare reform activities.  As it appears we are winding down on this major issue (at least in terms of passing something!), it is time once again to thank Rich Hamburg for the yeoman’s job he did on this!  Many thanks to Rich and TFAH on behalf of all of us in the public health arena.  It appears as of now that the Senate does have the votes to proceed and pass their bill.  The question then will be will there be a Conference Committee or will the bill simply “ping pong” back and forth between the chambers.  Various political reporters, academics, etc. seem to have different thoughts on the next step…time will tell!

Listed below is the Trust’s latest summary of physical activity friendly provisions included in the

Manager’s Amendment.  The entire Amendment can be found here.

Summary of Selected Prevention and Public Health Provisions in the Manager’s Amendment

1. National Prevention Strategy – The Manager’s Amendment changes references from Healthy People 2010 to Healthy People 2020. (p. 250)
   
   
2. Use of Prevention and Public Health Fund – Clarifies that funds shall be used for prevention, wellness and public health activities, including prevention research, health screenings and initiatives.  (p. 251)
   
   
3. Community Transformation Grants – Specifies that not less than 20% of the grants shall be awarded to rural and frontier areas and that community transformation plans may address special population needs including all age groups and individuals in urban, rural and frontier areas. (p. 252)
   
   
4. Catalyst to Better Diabetes Care – Includes a section directing the Secretary, acting through the CDC Director, to prepare on a biennial basis, a national diabetes report card.  Directs the Secretary and the IOM to study the impact of diabetes on the practice of medicine and the level of diabetes medical education required. (p. 254)
   
   
5. Wellness Programs – Includes a section directing the Secretary to award grants to small businesses to provide employees with access to comprehensive workplace wellness programs. (p. 257)
   
   
6. Cures Acceleration Network – Requires the NIH Director to establish a Cures Acceleration Network to accelerate the development of high need cures, including the development of medical products and behavioral therapies. (p. 260)
   
   
7. Depression – Establishes a Network of Health Advancing National Centers of Excellence for Depression. (p. 277)
   
   
8. Congenital Heart Disease – Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Director, to establish programs relating to congenital heart disease, including the formation of a National Congenital Heart Disease Surveillance System. (p. 289)
   
   
9. Breast Health – Establishes a public education and a healthcare professional education campaign regarding women’s breast health. (p. 294)
   
   
10. National Diabetes Prevention Program – Creates a CDC National Diabetes Prevention Program targeted at adults at high risk for diabetes, which entails a grant program for community-based diabetes prevention program model sites. (p. 310)
    
    
11. Preventive Medicine – Establishes a preventive medicine and public health training grant program in which eligible entities would provide training to graduate medical residents in preventive medicine specialties. (p. 323)
    
    
12. Community Health Centers and National Health Service Corps – Creates a Community Health Center Fund that provides enhanced funding for the Community Health Center program, the National Health Service Corps, and construction and renovation of community health centers.  Fund totals $10 billion over 5 years. (p. 329)

NCPPA advocates worked to secure inclusion of both the WHIP and PHIT (see below) bills in Health Care reform but neither bill has been included to date.  Advocates have turned their efforts toward looking for alternative vehicles to move one or both bills in this session.

The Urban Revitalization and Livable Communities Act (H.R. 3734)

The Urban Revitalization and Livable Communities Act (URLCA) invests in the health and well-being of communities across this nation from the standpoint of economic recovery, environmental protection, as well as providing safe and affordable places for recreation and physical activity.  The legislation authorizes a matching grant program that would appropriate $445 million of federal assistance annually to urban park and recreation agencies.  Grants could be used to rehabilitate existing and develop new urban parks and recreational infrastructure and revitalize communities by increasing economic development; improving public health; increasing daily physical activity; reconnecting children with nature; reducing crime; and providing safe, healthy alternatives for at-risk youth.  A variety of grant types are included in the legislation including: rehabilitation grants to local governments for the purpose of rebuilding and expanding new and existing recreation and facilities; innovation grants for the personnel, facilities, equipment, supplies, and services for urban parks and recreation facilities to address common problems related to facility operations; at-risk youth recreation grants for existing programs that have demonstrated success in providing alternative activities to children who are at risk of engaging in criminal behavior and grants for programs in communities with a high prevalence of crime by youth offenders; recovery action program grants to local governments for local park and recreation recovery action programs, including resource and needs assessment, coordination, citizen involvement and planning, and program development activities to encourage public definition of goals and to develop priorities and strategies for overall recreation system recovery.

Active Transportation Fund Act of 2009 

Representative Earl Blumenauer  (D-OR) has long been a friend to physical activity advocates…he is an avid bicyclist and has worked hard to have Congress recognize the importance of Active Transportation and Livable Communities.  He worked tirelessly to see the Bicycle Commuter Act become law.

Mr. Blumenauer will be soon be introducing a new piece of legislation titled the Active Transportation Fund Act.  NCPPA will be listed as an official endorsing organization on the bill.  This legislation establishes a $2 billion competitive grant program within the Department of Transportation that provides concentrated funding for communities to create active transportation networks that provide safe and convenient access for pedestrians and bicyclists. Qualified applicants include local or regional governmental organizations, tribal agencies and multi county districts that can demonstrate broad community support for their active transportation plan and indicate how their investment will contribute to significant mode shift.

The Active Transportation Fund will have two grant application rounds. The first application round will take place 180 days after the passage of the bill. Qualified communities will receive annual grants ranging from $5 million to $15 million for five years. Up to 75% of the total funds will be obligated within the first round of grant applications. The second application round will take place two years after the passage of the bill. Qualified communities will receive annual grants ranging from $5 million to $15 million for three years. If a community fails to meet its obligations under the program, the Secretary is authorized to discontinue funds.

The Active Transportation Fund provides concentrated, long term funding to communities that are prepared to provide their citizens with healthier, more environmentally friendly transportation options.  Stay tuned for more information once the bill is introduced. 

Workplace Health Improvement Program (WHIP) (HR2106/S913)

Advocates continue to work to sign co-sponsors for WHIP.  A good effort was made to try and get WHIP included in Healthcare Reform however this does not look likely at this point.  Not to be daunted though, advocates will continue the charge!  A Workplace Fitness Coalition has been established and is comprised of organizations in support of the WHIP bill.  If your organization is interested in becoming involved, please email sfranklin@ncppa.org..

State Advocacy...

Michigan

MI HCR 34/HR 187 Introduced  Both resolutions express support for active transportation infrastructure options that promote walking and bicycle usage and reduce childhood obesity. 

New Jersey

NJ S 3035 Introduced  Requires a public school district to provide a daily recess period for students in grades kindergarten through 5.

Resources & Links...

Federal

• U.S. House of Representatives: www.house.gov
• U.S. Senate: www.Senate.gov
• White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/
• FirstGov:  Official U.S. Government portal to 30 million pages of government information, services, and online transactions.
  http://www.firstgov.gov/
• Library of Congress:  Provides comprehensive information about Congress including legislation, committees, and Member information.  Also provides links to other judicial and administrative branches, as well as to state and local governments.
  http://thomas.loc.gov

State

• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL):  Publishes policy papers in a variety of subject areas under the “Policy Issues” section.  NCSL also maintains a listing of all state legislative sites.  http://www.ncsl.org or http://www.ncsl.org/public/sitesleg.htm
• National Governor’s Association (NGA):  Publishes policy papers on a variety of state issues and legislative information.  http://www.nga.org

Local

• National Association of Counties:  http://www.naco.org
• National Association of County and City Health Officials: http://www.naccho.org
• National League of Cities:  http://www.nlc.org
• International City/County Management Association:  http://www.icma.org
• U.S. Conference of Mayors:  http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/home.asp

Contact Sheila Franklin at sfranklin@ncppa.org with your public policy news and comments.

NCPPA 1100 H Street, NW Suite 510, Washington, DC 20005 202.454.7521 http://www.ncppa.org