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Tell FDA: We Need Safe Sunscreen


Sunscreen Chemicals FDA Safe

UPDATE: The FDA extends comment period until June 27, 2019! Chemicals found in reportedly 65% of over-the-counter sunscreens could be causing significant health and environmental concerns. Oxybenzone, one of the chemicals in sunscreen, allegedly caused the death of coral reefs and harmed human skin and hormones, according to the Environmental Working Group (EGW). Doctors have OK’d the use of sunscreen to protect against skin cancer, which is rising among Latinos, but debate rages over the consequences of oxybenzone exposure. The FDA wants your opinion on its proposed a new rule in the Federal Register that could ban the use of harmful additives in sunscreen by June 27, 2019! How to Submit a Comment for Safe Sunscreen! Copy the Salud America! model comment below (and ...

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Tell USDA: Protect SNAP!


SNAP federal food assistance protect poverty

The SNAP federal food assistance program is at risk again, and YOU CAN HELP! The Trump Administration wants to cut SNAP and could abolish food aid to 750,000 Americans who are underemployed and unemployed. This could fuel hunger and poverty among those most vulnerable, says the Food Research & Action Center. SNAP cuts would hurt Latinos, who are already less likely to seek nutrition help for fear of immigration penalties. You can make a public comment to USDA on SNAP until April 2, 2019. How to Submit a Comment to Save SNAP! 1. Copy one of our Salud America! model comments. Tweak the parts in green: SNAP HAS VALUE I am a NAMEOFPROFESSION in NAMEOFPLACE. I really value the SNAP program in my community. SNAP is proven to improve the economy, according to a Salud America! ...

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Salud America! Members Send 2,214 Emails to Address Childhood Trauma


childhood adversity impacts lifelong mental and physical health

More than 2,000 Salud America! network members emailed public comments urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences in proposed objectives for Healthy People 2030. Healthy People represents critical public health priorities by focusing on the leading causes of death and disease and driving action at the national, state, and local levels. Since its launch in 1979, the initiative has grown from 15 topics and 226 objectives in 1990 to 42 topics and more than 1,200 objectives in 2020. However, no objectives tackle the rising health issue of childhood trauma. So, with help from Dr. Colleen Bridger of San Antonio Metro Health District and Dr. Joe Hendershott of Hope for the Wounded Student, we created ...

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Tell Gov’t: Address Childhood Trauma in Healthy People 2030!



Childhood trauma. Adverse childhood experiences. Toxic stress. Trauma-informed. These are NOT FOUND anywhere in the proposed objectives for Healthy People 2030. We need you to speak up for childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences to ensure the Healthy People 2030 objectives guide our nation in addressing the leading public health concerns. Drafted by our Salud America! research team, with help from Dr. Colleen Bridger of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and Dr. Joe Hendershott of Hope for the Wounded Student, below are three unique opportunities to provide a public comment. Send an Email: Address Childhood Trauma & ACEs in Objectives in Healthy People 2030! Click here to easily send the following email to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ...

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Tell USDA: Save SNAP (Again)!


save SNAP

SNAP food assistance is at risk again, and we need your help. Just days after legislators protected SNAP in the Farm Bill, the Trump Administration on Dec. 20, 2018, proposed a SNAP regulation that could eliminate food assistance for unemployed and underemployed people in areas with insufficient jobs; undo long-settled regulations; increase hunger and nutrition-related diseases; and increase poverty, the Food Research & Action Center reports. You can make a public comment to tell USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue how much you value SNAP, and urge him to ensure the program continues to feed Latino and all disadvantaged families. Here’s how you can speak up: Copy this model comment (add a personal story if possible): I greatly value the SNAP program. And I am not alone. SNAP ...

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210,889 People Spoke Up on Public Charge!


Silhouette of a refugees family with children immigrant

More than 200,000 people—including some from Salud America!—submitted public comments on proposed changes to the "public charge" rule that could negatively impact the health of immigrant families. For the past 60 days, the U.S. government sought public comments on the Trump Administration's proposed changes to the public charge rule. Experts say the changes could penalize legal immigrants applying for green cards if they enroll in healthcare or use public benefits, such as food aid and housing. We at Salud America! asked our network to submit comments to protect families. Regulations.gov received a total of 210,889 comments! Here are some key results: Only 17,073 of the comments appear in search results on Regulations.gov, as of Dec. 11, 2018. About 40 people ...

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Tell U.S. Gov’t: Protect Immigrant Families


Immigration Rally in Washington latino dad and daughter march

Everyone deserves a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. But the Trump administration's proposed change to the Public Charge rule could penalize legal immigrants applying for green cards if they use public benefits, such as food assistance or housing, according to the National Immigration Law Center. The government wants public comments on the proposed Public Charge changes from Oct. 10 to Dec. 10, 2018, at regulations.gov. Here's how you can speak up: Copy a model comment below, drafted by our Salud America! research team. Hit "Comment Now." Paste the comment in the box at regulations.gov; be sure to to edit the comment by adding a personal story or tweaking the information before submitting, as exact duplicate comments will be discarded. Model ...

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New Action Pack: How to Start a School Food Pantry



About 1 in 6 children are food insecure. They don't know where their next meal is coming from. Fortunately, your school can help these students! The new Salud America! "School Food Pantry Action Pack" is a free guide to help school personnel talk to decision-makers, work through logistics, and start a School Food Pantry to help hungry students and reduce local food insecurity. A School Food Pantry accepts, stores, and redistributes donated and leftover food to students. The Action Pack was created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Ramirez had input from Jenny Arredondo, nutrition director at San Antonio ISD, who started school food pantries on 10 campuses in 2017-18, based on a Texas law change led by Diego Bernal. Get the ...

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Tell TxDOT: Prioritize the Lives and Physical Wellbeing of Texans



The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wants your input to shape transportation planning and spending across the state for the next 10 years, in what is known as the Unified Transportation Program (UTP). The UTP will guide construction, development, and related activities for 13,000 projects. However, the program prioritizes congestion relief over safety, connectivity, and economic development, says nonprofit Farm & City. You can speak up for transportation that prioritizes Texans’ wellbeing! Copy one of the model public comments drafted by our Salud America! research team, click the “submit” button, and paste the comment on txdot.gov’s comments website by Aug. 20, 2018. Be sure to click “No” in the required field asking if this is a complaint. Model ...

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