May 2010
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NACCHO and Local Health Departments Take Action to Improve Child Nutrition The authorization of school nutrition programs that determine which foods are available to children in schools expires this year. Congress has a unique opportunity through reauthorization of the child nutrition programs to improve access, meal quality, and nutrition for millions of children, particularly low-income children who depend on government programs. This legislation authorizes the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), among other programs. The Senate Agriculture Committee has approved the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which invests new money in childhood nutrition programs, establishes national school nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools and, for the first time in nearly 40 years, increases the reimbursement rate for the National School Lunch Program, helping schools to meet new nutrition standards and provide children with healthier school meals. NACCHO was quoted in a Senate Agriculture Committee press release announcing passage of the bill: "The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is pleased to support the approval by the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 reauthorizing childhood nutrition programs. Local health departments are concerned about the rising toll of childhood obesity and support programs such as those authorized by this bill that help to promote good nutrition for children. NACCHO urges the Senate to pass the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 without delay." NACCHO Advances Recommendations for Prevention and Public Health Fund The health reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, created a Prevention and Public Health Fund to provide funds for "programs authorized by the Public Health Service Act, for prevention, public health, and wellness activities, including prevention research and health screenings, such as the Community Transformation grant program, the Education and Outreach Campaign for Preventive Benefits, and immunization programs." NACCHO advocated strongly for the fund, which provides a mandatory appropriation (funds available automatically and not subject to annual appropriations processes) beginning with $500 million in FY 2010, escalating to $750 million in FY 2011, $1 billion in FY 2013, $1.25 billion in FY 2013, $1.5 billion in FY 2014, and $2 billion in FY 2015 and each fiscal year thereafter. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is required to use these funds by transferring them to the activities described above, but the Senate and House Appropriations Committees may also provide for the transfer of funds in the fund to these activities. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the White House and Congress are engaged now in discussions about how to use the $500 million provided for FY2010 and Senate and House appropriators are expected to include the allocation of the fund in their FY2011 appropriations bills. NACCHO has submitted recommendations to the White House and DHHS regarding the allocation of the fund in FY2010 and FY2011. NACCHO recommends dividing the fund according to the categories included in the House-passed health reform bill: core public health infrastructure for state, local, and tribal health departments; delivery of community preventive and wellness services; prevention task forces; prevention and wellness research; and core public health infrastructure and activities for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More information on NACCHO's recommendations is available here. NACCHO will provide updates as the creation of the fund moves forward in what is expected to begin a major advancement of prevention and public health activities at the federal, state, and local level. |