Readout of HHS Secretary Becerra’s Roundtable with National Black Leaders Commemorating Black History Month

Secretary Becerra reiterated HHS's commitment to continued partnerships to improve health outcomes in the Black community.

On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra met with leaders from national Black civil rights, faith-based, and health organizations to discuss efforts to improve health and human services outcomes in the Black community and further advance health equity. This meeting builds upon a series of conversations and engagements between Black community leaders and HHS.

During the roundtable, Secretary Becerra highlighted the important work being done by the Biden-Harris Administration to improve access to health care, lower health care costs, increase behavioral health investments, address environmental health hazards, strengthen supports for children and families, and further connect organizations to available HHS resources. Secretary Becerra expressed his appreciation to the Black leaders at the roundtable and reiterated that HHS will continue to work closely with them to address shared priorities.

HHS has undertaken several noteworthy initiatives to improve health and human services outcomes for the Black community as part of the Biden Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Unity Agenda. These include reducing the cost of prescription drugs through the Inflation Reduction Act, increasing health coverage for Black Americans through the Affordable Care Act, providing $468 million in funding opportunities to address disparities in maternal and infant health, launching the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and ensuring the ready availability of COVID-19 vaccines and test kits within the Black community. Additionally, HHS has taken action to strengthen the health care workforce pipeline to support health care workers and create career advancement opportunities with a strong focus on equity and cultural competency. Furthermore, HHS has strengthened civil rights protections for patients in federally funded health programs.

More details on how HHS is advancing health equity for Black Americans can be viewed here.

The following individuals participated in the meeting:

• Jacqueline Ayers, Senior Vice President of Policy, Organizing, and Campaigns, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA)
• Osub Ahmed, Policy Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Tona Boyd, Associate-Director Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund
• Theo W. Braddy, Executive Director, The National Council on Independent Living
• Paul A. Brathwaite, Chief Strategist, Federal Street Strategies
• Jacqui L. Burton, President and Senior Vice President of Policy, Organizing, and Campaigns, Conference of National Black Churches
• Alicia Butler, Health and Wellness Policy Advisor, National Action Network
• Joi Olivia Chaney, Founder, J.O.I Strategies
• Lydia A. Isaac, Vice President of Health Equity & Policy, National Urban League (NUL)
• Yolanda Lawson, President, National Medical Association
• Jerrica Mathis, Vice President, Federal Government Relations, Cardinal Health
• Jesselyn McCurdy, Executive Vice President for Government Affairs, The Leadership Conference of Civil and Human Rights
• Dariely Rodriguez, Deputy Chief Counsel, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
• Reverend Matthew Lawrence Watley Founder and Senior Pastor, Kingdom Fellowship AME Church