Healthy Food Small Retailer Program in North Carolina faces challenges
Policies for Action researcher Stephanie Jilcott Pitts was featured in a News & Observer article on a North Carolina state grant program that aims to put fresh produce in retail stores located in food deserts, areas with a shortage of healthy foods. Pitts, whose P4A research focuses on evaluating programs and policies to improve rural food deserts in North Carolina, pointed to data explaining key program challenges and opportunities for improvement.
P4A research spotlight
The Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8, is designed to provide stable and affordable housing to very low–income households and improve access to healthier neighborhoods. Landlords often impede this effort by not renting to Section 8 voucher holders, who are not protected from discrimination by federal fair housing laws.
P4A has launched a study to better understand state and local efforts to reduce landlord discrimination in the Section 8 program and help voucher holders find housing. This research will help show how to leverage this crucial affordable housing investment to improve health equity and support evidence-based advocacy and policymaking at a time when local laws are increasingly threatened by state preemption.
Health Affairs: Policies that promote health, equity, and well-being
With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Health Affairs will continue its series on the culture of heath, an initiative focused on promoting equity, well-being, and health as national priorities. The July 2020 issue is dedicated to research on public policies and private sector activities that seek to reduce morbidity and mortality by promoting healthy behavior and choices through incentives, behavioral economics interventions, financial assistance, and other levers.
Manuscripts should be submitted via Health Affairs’manuscript submission system. The submission deadline is February 3, 2020.
Community corner
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) recently awarded 19 new grants for research studies using highly valued datasets from either the Health Care Cost Institute, OptumLabs, CareJourney, or Athenahealth. Read more about the Health Data for Action program and the awarded projects on the AcademyHealth website.
