Enact a comprehensive statewide smoke-free air law in Mississippi.

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1 Mississippi Public Health Association LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 2015 Fund the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) at the requested level. MSDH provides the foundation for the public health system in Mississippi. The state general funding for public health in Mississippi is already one of the lowest in the nation, ranking 48th out of 50 states. Failure to fully fund MSDH s essential services and functions translates to reduced capacity for all 81 county health offices statewide. It also puts into jeopardy the agency s ability to adequately maintain the physical and human resources required to deliver quality services and protect the public. That means less capacity to provide basic services that ensure clean water, restaurant and food safety and disease outbreak control. Any cuts to the agency s request threaten basic public health protections that Mississippians take for granted and are essential to maintain a strong public health infrastructure. Adequate state funding for the lead public health agency better enables the MSDH to fulfill its mission to promote and protect the health of Mississippians. ALSO, based on the agency s current financial situation, additional funding is necessary to implement needed salary increases for MSDH employees. Enact a comprehensive statewide smoke-free air law in Mississippi. Mississippi is one of a few states without any type of statewide smoke-free air policy. Research indicates Mississippi communities with smoke-free air policies see declines in 1

2 heart attack hospital admissions shortly after policy enactment. Secondhand smoke exposure was estimated to cost the state Medicaid program $36.2 million dollars in fiscal year 2013 alone. Mississippians are not protected broadly by law from tobacco smoke exposure. Additionally, Mississippians are not protected at all from exposure to vapors associated with the use of electronic cigarettes and other unregulated tobacco devices. A statewide smoke-free air law will protect Mississippians from the ill health effects caused by exposure to tobacco smoke and extend lives. Restrict texting while driving for all drivers in Mississippi. Texting while driving negatively affects driving performance, which leads to increased crash rates, injuries, and deaths. Currently, Mississippi bans distracted driving only for persons with a learner s permit, intermediate license or school bus drivers. Mississippi is one of a few states with no comprehensive texting while driving legislation. Automobile injuries are the leading cause of injury-related deaths and the top cause of death for Mississippians under 45 years of age. Research shows texting while driving is a common event for three out of four Mississippi adults. It has also been demonstrated that states that adopted laws banning texting while driving using primary enforcement policies showed significant drops in crash-related deaths by an average of 19 lives saved per year. Laws limiting texting while driving will make Mississippi roads safer and help protect all Mississippians from injury and death. 2

3 Fund Evidence-Based Strategies to Reduce Infant Mortality in Mississippi. Mississippi has the highest rates of infant mortality in the nation at 9.7 per 1,000 live births. The state also has the highest rates of premature and low birth weight babies, both of which are top risk factors for poor newborn health outcomes. Programs and services in the state that aid the healthy development of infants before and after their birth are in need of staffing and financial support. Poor infant outcomes cost the state an estimated $336 million per year in economic costs for medical care, disability services, special education, and lost household and labor productivity. Too many of Mississippi s families suffer the loss of their newborn children. Why MPHA supports this initiative There are specific evidence-based interventions being proposed including improved preconception health, premature elective deliveries, maternal smoking and systems for risked-based prenatal care that require priority funding and can result in reduced infant mortality in Mississippi. These policies and interventions, among others, reduce risk factors that can prevent early infant deaths and raise the potential for each new life to become a healthy and productive resident. Protect immunization requirements for children in Mississippi. Immunizations against many childhood diseases are currently required for children to enter schools and childcare centers in Mississippi with limited exemptions. This requirement (only exceptions are evaluated medical reasons) contributes to Mississippi s top nationwide ranking for the rate of children immunized and low rates of childhood vaccine preventable disease outbreaks. The state's requirement for school entry was also upheld by the state supreme court in A recent review of 67 different studies on the safety of vaccines examined diverse events associated with childhood immunizations and concluded that these events were extremely rare and absolute risk was low. 3

4 A relationship has been established between the ease of obtaining an exemption and the increase in the disease risk in a community. Communities with low immunization rates have experienced a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases across the world. A large body of research shows the benefits of immunizations outweigh the risks from being immunized. Meanwhile, lack of complete immunization coverage increases the risk of disease for everyone, including those who have been immunized and those who cannot be immunized for medical reasons. Laws protecting childhood immunizations will help families stay active, healthy, and productive. Therefore we do not support policy changes that would allow philosophical exemptions. Promote Public Health Workforce development in Mississippi. Public health professionals serve as the first line of defense for Mississippians from many threats to their health and safety. Throughout the state, these professionals provide the following health services among others on a regular, ongoing basis: protect the public and treat the sick during infectious disease outbreaks, inspect the safety of food served to the public in restaurants and other dining establishments, ensure public water supplies are safe for drinking, help the injured and sick during severe weather emergencies and disease outbreaks, assure provision of safe care to nursing home residents and children in childcare services, screen newborns for over 40 diseases that threaten good health when not revealed early in childhood development, and provide a safety net to ensure availability of preventive and primary care for vulnerable and at-risk populations. Before regular provision of protective public health services such as basic sanitation and clean water, the average life expectancy was much shorter than it is currently. An 4

5 adequate public health workforce and infrastructure is required to protect Mississippian s health every day. Legislation and additional funding to support a robust public health care workforce helps Mississippians continue to receive protective services essential for good health and long life. Additionally, MPHA supports adequate compensation, education, and the necessary number of public positions for the public health workforce to keep our citizens healthy and safe. Improve Access to Health Insurance in Mississippi. Nearly one out of five Mississippians lacks any health insurance coverage. Residents without health insurance are typically younger, low-wage workers who do not have access to employer-sponsored coverage, do not qualify for public coverage, or are not eligible for the state Medicaid health insurance program due to eligibility limitations. Residents who lack health insurance coverage face delays in receiving health care services, particularly health care services that support the maintenance of good health. This places economic hardships on families without coverage who require medical care. It also jeopardizes the fiscal stability of hospitals, which can limit access to health care and increase the economic burden on all Mississippi taxpayers. Laws enabling Mississippians to gain insurance coverage can allow access to health services that improve and maintain the health of residents. 5