Racism a public health crisis, Georgia lawmakers says; re-introduces legislation to end disparities

ATLANTA - A state lawmaker blames what she calls the disproportionately high death rate for chronic illnesses among the Black community on racism.

Now, she hopes a bill re-introduced during this legislative session will end health care disparities statewide.

Some state representatives just re-introduced this legislation after it failed to gain much traction during last year's legislative session. Monday evening's conversation centered on addressing how racism in health care affects all Georgians and how to get quality access and care to all communities.

"It opens the door to making sure we have accountability and transparency," State Representative Kim Schofield explained. 

If lawmakers inside the State Capitol pass House Resolution 78, it would declare racism a public health crisis in Georgia.

"Some people live just to survive," Hannah Lucas, who survived a suicide attempt said. "They can't get sick, they can't get hurt and that's not really any way to live." 

Several policymakers, medical professionals, and community members met virtually Monday night to discuss the impact this potential legislation has to combat what they see as health care disparities throughout the state.

According to the four-page resolution, deep-seated problems still persist today.

"This bill is an excellent bill because it leads the pathway on collecting data as to how many people are impacted when we talk about racism as a public health crisis," Schofield explained. 

The panelists pointed out what they see as a lack of proper health care, low-paying jobs, and limited grocery stores in minority communities are oftentimes rooted in systemic racism.

FOX 5 previously reported about the CDC's report on Black women being up to four times more likely to die before, during, or a year after childbirth.

The bill mentioned that heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black women, and according to some medical experts, this is largely due to race-related stress, barriers to care, and racism from healthcare providers.

"I've seen systemic patients in how my patients are addressed depending on the color of their skin or their age," OB/GYN Dr. Acquinonette Bryant said. 

State Representative Sandra Scott the bill failed to make it to the governor's desk in 2021 in part due to concerns about how the bill addresses law enforcement.

One section cites a 2018 study that found that 'law enforcement involved deaths of unarmed Black individuals were associated with adverse mental health issues among Black adults."

"When Black people have mental health issues, we go to jail. There's no one trying to understand why we're feeling the way we're feeling. We're either angry or we've got PTSD," Rep. Schofield said. 

FOX 5 reached out to the Georgia Department of Public Health to get their reaction to this legislation, but the department said they don’t discuss or comment on proposed or pending legislation.

FOX 5 also contacted the US Department of Health and Human Services but didn't get a response.

Rep. Scott said this legislation will have to go before two house committees before it can be presented on the house floor. 

To read the legislation, click here.

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