August Health News
Nutrition:
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has declared Aug. 2 through 8, 2015, as "National Farmers Market Week."
This year marks the 16th annual National Farmers Market Week in honor of the important role that farmers markets play in local economies.
"Farmers markets play a key role in developing local and regional food systems that support farmers and help grow rural economies. They bring communities together, connecting cities with the farms and providing Americans with fresh, healthy food.", said Secretary Vilsack.
Farmers markets provide consumers with fresh, affordable, convenient, and healthy products from local producers. With support from USDA, more farmers markets offer customers the opportunity to make purchases with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program; and the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs.
Op-ed: Don’t reverse progress toward healthier school lunches
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack states, "For the past three years, kids have eaten healthier breakfasts, lunches and snacks at school thanks to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which improved the nutrition of foods and beverages served in cafeterias and sold in vending machines.
Now that the Act is up for reauthorization in Congress, opponents are straining to roll back the progress we've made despite the fact that our national obesity crisis costs the country $190.2 billion per year to treat.
Opponents would have you believe that kids won't eat the healthier meals, that they're too burdensome on schools. But we've talked to the dedicated school meal professionals working in school cafeterias, as well as the students, and the negative rhetoric does not match reality.
Because of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, our children have more energy to learn and grow, greater opportunity to thrive, and better overall health. Our children have healthier school meals than we ever did."
To read the full article please click here
USDA Proposes New Ways to Help Meet Nutrition Needs of Low-Income, Homebound Seniors and People with Disabilities
According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing to improve access to groceries for homebound seniors and people with disabilities who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“Home delivery of groceries is an important step forward in serving the needs of these vulnerable populations. Allowing homebound seniors and people with disabilities to use their SNAP benefits through government and non-profit home delivery services will help ensure they have access to healthy foods,” Secretary Vilsack said.
As the nation's first line of defense against hunger, SNAP helps put food on the table for millions of low income families and individuals every month and has never been more critical to the fight against hunger.
Advocacy
The Clean Power Plan
On August 3, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, finalized a historic plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants—the largest source of carbon pollution in the United States. EPA’s Clean Power Plan will maintain an affordable, reliable energy system, while cutting pollution and protecting public health and the environment now and for future generations.
• Many Hispanics and Latinos are already at risk from air pollution. Climate change is expected to lead to increased air pollution in many high-population areas, contributing to asthma attacks and other respiratory issues.
• Hispanic children continue to have higher rates of asthma than the national rates, and increased levels of ozone caused by climate change will exacerbate asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments.
• Hispanics account for 42% of construction laborers and as much as 75% of agricultural field workers in the United States. These outdoor workers, and the communities that depend on them, could be particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
When the Clean Power Plan is fully in place in 2030, carbon pollution from the power sector will be 32% below 2005 levels, emissions of SO2 from power plants will be 90% lower compared to 2005 levels, and emissions of NOx will be 72% lower. Because these pollutants can create dangerous soot and smog, the historically low levels mean we will avoid thousands of premature deaths and have thousands fewer asthma attacks and hospitalizations in 2030 and every year beyond.
To learn more about the Clean Power Plan in Spanish click here
The uninsured rate has dropped to its lowest level since Gallup began tracking the statistic in 2008.
The uninsured rate has declined across nearly all key subgroups since 2013. But the sharpest declines have occurred among Hispanics, blacks and lower-income Americans. The uninsured rate among Hispanics declined by 9.6 points from the fourth quarter of 2013 -- the last full quarter of interviewing before the requirement that Americans carry health insurance took effect.
The new poll marks the latest good news for the healthcare law, which has helped nearly 17 million people gain insurance since marketplaces opened in 2013.
To read the full article please click here
State of Arizona Agrees to Improve Immigrant Access to Federal Public Benefits Programs
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has entered into a voluntary resolution agreement with the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) to improve access to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and other public benefit programs for eligible immigrants and children.
Eligible immigrants and U.S. citizens may encounter barriers that limit their ability to receive public benefits, chilling their willingness to apply for benefits for which they are eligible and resulting in individuals’ lack of access to crucial health care and cash assistance.
Under the Agreement, AHCCCS and DES will take steps to ensure that eligible citizens and immigrants are not improperly denied access to public benefits or improperly reported to ICE, and that they have access to vital healthcare programs.
Prepared by Jenifer Silva, LULAC National Health Program and Advocacy Intern