FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Nick Mansour
July 29, 2024 nmansour@choosehealthylife.org
Choose Healthy Life Applauds Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for Introducing the Health Equity Innovation Act of 2024 to the Senate
Choose Healthy Life (CHL), a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing health disparities through the Black church, applauds U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for introducing the Health Equity Innovation Act of 2024 (HEIA) to the Senate. This groundbreaking legislation aims to provide crucial funding to community and faith-based organizations who are dedicated to addressing health disparities in underserved communities.
CHL also extends its gratitude to U.S. Representative Nikema Williams for her instrumental role in introducing this bill in the House of Representatives in the fall of 2022. Her commitment to advancing health equity has laid the foundation for this essential legislative effort.
“The introduction of the Health Equity Innovation Act of 2024 (HEIA) to the Senate marks a significant step forward, providing necessary funding for community and faith-based organizations like ours,” said Debra Fraser-Howze, Founder and Board Chair of Choose Healthy Life. “Choose Healthy Life and other trusted community organizations have proven to be highly effective in delivering much-needed health screenings and connections to medical services in hard-to-reach communities serving as a viable and effective extension of the health care delivery system. The HEIA will expand access to care and our capacity to connect underserved communities to life-saving care.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sen. Gillibrand for her leadership in bringing this crucial legislation to the Senate, and Rep. Williams for originally introducing the bill in the House. Together, we are all committed to addressing health disparities, and this landmark bill will help to sustain our work and empower us to have an even greater impact.”
The Health Equity Innovation Act of 2024 proposes significant investment in local health initiatives by allocating federal funds to community and faith-based organizations. The bill seeks to address the chronic shortages in healthcare providers and the high costs of medical care in underserved communities by supporting organizations that are already performing essential health services on the ground. By improving access to preventative care and routine checkups, the HEIA aims to reduce racial disparities in health outcomes and build healthier communities.
“Astronomical health care costs and a chronic shortage of health care providers in Black communities mean that too many Black community members have difficulty getting routine checkups, vaccinations, and other critical preventative care,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY). “Local community health centers and faith organizations like Choose Healthy Life fill the gaps. By providing accessible and affordable services, they are building healthier communities and helping to end racial disparities in health outcomes. I’m introducing the Health Equity Innovation Act to make sure faith and community-based organizations have the funding they need to continue doing this important work, and I look forward to getting this bill passed.”
“At Choose Healthy Life, we have been at the forefront of addressing health inequities through our work with Black churches across the country,” said Rev. Kimberly L. Williams, Executive Director of Choose Healthy Life. “We’ve made a significant impact in our communities, having vaccinated and tested over 250,000 for COVID-19, and having screened over 15,000 for comprehensive health risks. This bill acknowledges the effectiveness of our model and provides the resources needed to sustain and enhance our outreach and impact. The Health Equity Innovation Act will strengthen our ability to deliver critical health services and wellness programs, ensuring that more individuals in vulnerable communities receive the care they need.”
Choose Healthy Life remains committed to its mission of improving health outcomes in the Black community through partnership with the Black church. The Health Equity Innovation Act of 2024 represents a monumental step towards achieving health equity for all.
For additional information, please visit Choose Healthy Life and Senator Gillibrand's Press Release.
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About Choose Healthy Life
Choose Healthy Life (CHL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing health disparities through the Black church by funding, establishing and training trusted faith-based health navigators to educate, deliver and connect the community to much needed health services. Founded in 2021 during the height of the COVID pandemic, Choose Healthy Life funded 120 churches across 13 states. Since its founding, CHL churches have hosted over 9,000 wellness events, vaccinated and tested over 250,000 individuals, and screened over 15,000 for comprehensive health measures and risks. Today, CHL's health navigators are focused on addressing the underlying health inequities in their respective communities.###