Health Policy Update: April 17, 2025
In an effort to help our Funding Partners better understand the changing health policy landscape in the new administration and Congress, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is expanding the GIH Health Policy Update newsletter to three issues per month. Working in collaboration with Leavitt Partners, a leading health care policy consultancy, we are adding new installments of the newsletter on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, while we will continue to partner with Trust for America’s Health on the installment released on the second Wednesday of the month.
Strengthening and Maintaining the Public Health Infrastructure
This Issue Focus article presents information on the issues facing the nation’s public health infrastructure and how health grantmakers help strengthen the system by partnering with federal, state, and local health departments, as well as with academic institutions and community groups that contribute to the public’s health.
Protecting Safe Havens for the Nation’s Children
In the U.S., children continue to suffer from violence in environments that should be safe havens for them: their schools and their homes. This Issue Focus presents philanthropic strategies for transforming homes and schools into safe environments where children can thrive and reach their full potential.
Healthy Behaviors: Addressing Chronic Disease at Its Roots
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke, and diabetes are among the most serious threats to the nation’s health. This Issue Brief explores the contribution of specific behaviors to the development of chronic diseases and discusses how research on tobacco control can guide grantmakers interested in designing comprehensive strategies that help people adopt healthy behaviors and create environments that help people be successful in their efforts to live healthier lives.
Grantmakers Respond to Medication Errors
Medication errors are among the most common preventable medical errors. This Issue Focus article discusses a variety of strategies to reduce medication errors, from relabeling similarly named medications to purchasing and implementing new technologies in institutional settings, and how foundations can facilitate the adoption of these and other strategies.
Shoring Up the Safety Net: Grantmakers Act to Strengthen Providers Serving the Underserved
Health grantmakers are working to shore up the safety net in various ways. This Issue Focus explores grantmaker activities beyond providing funding for direct services and capital improvement, including strengthening organizational capacity, supporting community-based health plans, and educating policymakers.
Terrorism and Meeting the Needs of the Nation’s Children
The events of 9/11 and the ongoing threat of terrorism have had a profound effect on all Americans. Moreover, the systems responsible for responding in the event of a terrorist act, such as health and public safety, are less prepared to address the needs of children than other populations. This Issue Focus looks at strategies funders can use to incorporate the needs of children into emergency preparedness planning by involving schools, hospital pediatric departments, and other youth-serving organizations.
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