PEERS RESPONSE

8 to >16 pts Excellent Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings. ... Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. ... Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. ... Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources. ... Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives. ... Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. 16 to >14 pts Good Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. ... Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. ... Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed. ... Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. ... Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. 14 to >12 pts Fair Response is on topic and may have some depth. ... Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication. ... Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. ... Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. 12 to >0 pts Poor Response may not be on topic and lacks depth. ... Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication. ... Responses to faculty questions are missing. ... No credible sources are cited.	18 / 18 pts
Second Response view longer description	17 to >15 pts Excellent Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings. ... Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. ... Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. ... Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources. ... Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. 15 to >13 pts Good Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. 13 to >11 pts Fair Response is on topic and may have some depth. Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. 11 to >0 pts Poor Response may not be on topic and lacks depth. ... Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication. ... Responses to faculty questions are missing. ... No credible sources are cited.	17 / 17 pts
Participation view longer description	5 to >0 pts Excellent Meets requirements for participation by posting on three different days. 0 pts Poor Does not meet requirements for participation by posting on 3 different days.	5 / 5 pts

PEERS RESPONSE

Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days by either supporting or respectfully challenging their explanation on whether there is an evidence base to support the proposed health policy they described.

TIFF

FIRST RESPONSE

The health policy that I have selected is S. 964 - Mothers and Newborns Success Act. This act is meant to ensure that mothers with newborns have the proper tools to be safe and successful (Congress.gov, 2023). The policy is aimed at providing resources to women before, during, and after pregnancy to promote positive outcomes (Congress.gov, 2023). The plan is that there will be grants in place to help support these resources. The resources will be in place to help with disparities, ensure that expecting mothers are aware of appropriate facilities, provide supportive care measures for physical, mental, and emotional help, and promote awareness for providers to recognize warning signs of those in need (Kaine.senate.gov, 2023).

 

It was recognized that maternal and infant death is at a disturbingly high number, and even higher for those of different racial backgrounds (Congress.gov, 2023). Documentation shows that black women die nearly three times as much as a white woman (Kaine.senate.gov, 2023). The social determinant that affects this policy is related to racial inequalities and can fall further down to socioeconomic status including having health insurance, access to health care, and education (Usha Ranji Published, 2022). 

 

I believe there is plenty of evidence based information to show why this is an issue and why the proposed health policy is needed. It is documented that the rates increased during the Covid 19 pandemic as well as Roe vs Wade being overturned (Usha Ranji Published:, 2022). It is also documented that these deaths occur during a pregnancy, at delivery, and within the year following delivery (Usha Ranji Published:, 2022). Black women have a higher chance of developing preeclampsia, which can lead to an earlier delivery as well as lower birth weight, higher chance of teenage pregnancies, due to less sexual education in certain areas, and racial inequalities, leading to someone not receiving adequate prenatal or postnatal care (Usha Ranji Published:, 2022). These facts combined with social determinants prove how serious this issue is and why a health policy should be in place to protect mothers and newborns. 

Thank you!

Tiffany

References

Congress.gov. (2023, March 23).  S.964 - Mothers and Newborns Success Act. Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/964?s=6&r=12&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22recent+health+policies%22%5D%7D

kaine.senate.gov. (2023, March 23).  Kaine & Murkowski Introduce Bill to Reduce Maternal and Infant Mortality, Address Racial Inequities in Maternal Health | U.S. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. Www.kaine.senate.gov. https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-and-murkowski-introduce-bill-to-reduce-maternal-and-infant-mortality-address-racial-inequities-in-maternal-health

Usha Ranji Published: (2022, November 1).  Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Efforts to Address Them. KFF. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/racial-disparities-in-maternal-and-infant-health-current-status-and-efforts-to-address-them/#:~:text=Research%20has%20documented%20that%20social

 Reply

H LEE

SECOND RESPONSE

The health policy I have selected is H.R. 8542, known as the Mental Health Justice Act of 2022. This policy aims to address the issue of responding to calls involving individuals with behavioral health issues by creating grants for each state to train and deploy mental health professionals instead of law enforcement officers (Congress.gov, 2022). Studies have shown that over 1 in 5 individuals fatally shot by police officers suffer from mental illness, totaling more than 1,400 cases since 2015 (Burke, 2021).

The social determinant most influenced by this policy is safety, both for individuals with mental illness and for law enforcement officers. The intention behind this bill is to have trained mental health professionals on-site to effectively handle crises and de-escalate situations, thereby reducing the need for force that could lead to severe injuries or even loss of life.

While there is currently limited evidence-based research specifically supporting the effectiveness of dispatching mental health professionals in mental health crisis calls, it is plausible to consider the potential impact. Many individuals with untreated mental health issues may unknowingly pose a threat to themselves or others, thereby putting themselves in danger. By having trained professionals attend to these situations promptly, the risk of harm could be significantly reduced.

Rhode Island has implemented a co-response team approach, which includes social workers and mental health clinicians riding along with officers during day and evening shifts to respond to calls (Greider, 2022). Although there is no available data regarding the efficacy of this specific model, it is evident that having co-response teams in place enhances safety and helps resolve incidents in Rhode Island.

In conclusion, the Mental Health Justice Act of 2022 addresses the need for a more appropriate response to calls involving individuals with behavioral health issues. While there may be limited evidence to support this specific policy, examples like Rhode Island's co-response team demonstrate the potential benefits of having mental health professionals involved in crisis interventions. By prioritizing safety and avoiding unnecessary force, this policy has the potential to improve outcomes for both individuals with mental illness and law enforcement officers.

References

Congress.gov. (2022). H.R.8542 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): Mental Health Justice Act of 2022.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117/house-bill/8542Links to an external site.

Burke, M. (2021). Policing mental health: Recent deaths highlight concerns over officer response. NBCNews.com. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/policing-mental-health-recent-deaths-highlight-concerns-over-officer-response-n1266935Links to an external site.

Greider, K. (2022). Co-response: How police and mental health workers are answering 911 calls with care. Local Initiatives Support Corporation.  https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/co-response-how-police-and-mental-health-workers-are-answering-911-calls-care/Links to an external site.

 Reply