People of color issue

By Marty Martinez, legislative analyst

Diabetes is becoming one of the greatest health crises we face today. It is estimated that in California diabetes contributes to approximately 5,000 deaths and $8 billion annually in direct and indirect health care costs. According to government statistics, by 2050 half of all Californians will have diabetes, and an even higher proportion of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans will have diabetes.

AB 1154 by Assemblymember Mark Leno (D–San Francisco) would create the Diabetes Risk Reduction Pilot Program. This first-of-its-kind bill would apply new approaches to combating diabetes and its predecessor, pre-diabetes, through integrative care and proactive prevention.

Integrative care is a new movement that is finding its way into the nation's hospitals, universities and medical schools. The philosophy of integrative care is a whole-person approach to medicine: treatment of the whole person, not just the disease.

Proactive prevention in diabetes risk mitigation is a public health concept that supports community health promotion of habits and practices that show evidence-based efficacy in at-risk populations. These programs include incentives for more whole foods, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds along with adequate water and regular physical activity.

AB 1154 would require the Department of Public Health to develop the pilot program in counties throughout the state to review, analyze, and report on the outcomes from integrative care of diabetes causes through proactive prevention in the community. AB 1154 would utilize doctors, pharmacists, nutrition experts, fitness experts, and health counselors in an innovative approach to addressing the root causes of diabetes and pre-diabetes.

Communities of color have too much to lose to wait to address this epidemic. Please urge the Senate Health Committee to approve this bill.

Sample Letter

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The Hon.
The California State Legislature
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Senator:

Diabetes is becoming one of the greatest health crises we face today. It is estimated that in California diabetes contributes to approximately 5,000 deaths and $8 billion annually in direct and indirect health care costs. According to government statistics, by 2050 half of all Californians will have diabetes and an even higher proportion of African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans will have diabetes.

Assembly Bill 1154 by Assemblymember Mark Leno would create the Diabetes Risk Reduction Pilot Program. This first-of-its-kind bill would apply new approaches to combating diabetes and its predecessor, pre-diabetes, through integrative care and proactive prevention. Integrative care is a new movement that is finding its way to the nation's hospitals, universities, and medical schools. The philosophy of integrative care is a whole-person approach to medicine: treatment of the whole person, not just the disease.

Proactive prevention in diabetes risk mitigation is a public health concept that supports community health promotion of habits and practices that show evidence-based efficacy in at-risk populations. Proactive prevention programs include incentives for more whole foods, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds along with adequate water and regular physical activity.

Communities of color have too much to lose to wait to address this epidemic. Please support this bill in the Senate Health Committee.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

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People of color issue

Sample Letter

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