Radical Ideas
Students may use this blog section to post radical ideas about addressing health inequities while elevating social justice. This blog is for any radical idea that might be too radical for the world- but is needed. Blogs are anonymous to the world- so be brave and post what you feel and know is needed.
This radical idea isn't mine. However, since we are looking at housing this week, the class might want to read about a current proposal. This proposal suggests that to attempt to solve the housing crisis, we must change how we view housing altogether. I don't know if I agree that social housing can replace traditional ownership completely, but it may be one method to help alleviate the problem we are facing.
ReplyDeleteI do like the idea presented in both the article and, as such, in the presented bill of reinvesting in public housing by repealing the Faircloth Amendment, or Faircloth limit, which prevents the construction of new public housing. It does this by preventing the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from funding new public housing units if the construction would increase the number of units owned, assisted, or operated by a Public Housing Agency beyond a certain limit. This effectively kills new construction and sometimes can even limit proper repairs of existing units!
Now, to be fair, many PHAs operate with fewer units than their limits under Faircloth, so it's been called a 'red herring' by some. To me, any time we have an actual law or amendment like this out there whose intention is to deny a basic right, which housing should be, its wrong and should be repealed.
You can read about the proposal here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/18/opinion/aoc-tina-smith-housing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.L04.D4k6.9JudJYAmzuNC&smid=url-share
and you can find out more about the Faircloth Amendment here: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/FRCLTH-LMT.PDF
I think that repealing the Faircloth limit would be a great start to addressing the housing crisis and I think that given the magnitude of this situation, some other federal regulatory measures could be implemented that could make for a more impactful, long-term solution. I would lean towards a mixed use set up that creates commercial spaces and housing together. Too often public housing is built and there is no infrastructure, jobs, education or access to health care to support the people who live there. Creating smaller, more self-sufficient neighborhoods with parks, community gardens and opportunities for small businesses, rather than just housing. The immediate need is roofs over people's heads, but creating an environment that fosters belonging, connection and a sense of pride in one's community is more effective physically, mentally and emotionally long term.
DeleteThis is brilliant. I agree about changing how we view housing all together. It makes me think of Native American wisdom and teachings- we do not and cannot own anything- we borrow it from our ancestors. Housing for all is definitely the call- how can we do this and who is doing this well. I am interested to see what happens with Faircloth.
DeleteThis is not so much a radical idea, or maybe it is depends. I came across this poem and it just kind of summed up the week in America.
DeleteFemales and males are one in the world,
although that is not the belief that has been furled.
We are told that one gender is better than the other,
it seems it's just one stereotype; one after another.
Equality can become realised if only we believe
and take the initiative to take action and achieve.
Why shouldn't men and women be treated the same?
To have equal rights and equal pay, that should really be our aim.
Men, gender inequality is your issue too,
although you may not agree, I'm afraid it is true.
You should have the right to express your emotions and be what you please,
You should not be pulled back by stigma, but instead be who you are at ease.
Instead of fighting, we should be pulling together,
and make this journey a joint endeavor.
We are of equal value if only we open our eyes,
at the heart of change is where we become most wise.
Now or never? If not us then who?
the interest in this movement must come through.
Equality is not a privilege but a human right,
all genders on the spectrum should be able to shine bright.
By Shay
We definitely need to pull together at this time! Thank you for sharing- unity is the way. We are radically and deeply connected as human beings on this earth.
DeleteAs Amy said above - this idea isn't mine. However, I am a strong advocate for Universal Basic Income, or UBI. There are a few different plans for UBI payments. Some require people to give up public benefits, some are payments if conditions are met (such as taking children to doctor's appointments), some are simply cash handed over to help with existing. There are examples here: https://college.unc.edu/2021/03/universal-basic-income/.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I feel as though setting a "floor to stand on" instead of a safety net is important. People don't ask to be poor, or affected by inflation, or born into communities that are slammed with health disparities. Helping give them a way to manage bills while also providing public assistance for things like food and healthcare can help stabilize some of these communities.
There was a study about open income that showed that people who receive UBI payments work less, at an average of 1-2 hours a week (see here https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sam-altman-universal-basic-income-study-open-research/). Honestly, I think this is great. Human beings aren't simply here to work ourselves into an early grave. That hour could be an hour spent with children, at their schools, or spent caring for mental and community health. Those things are more important than handing over body and time to an employer.
After reading your post I think is an exceptional idea. I say/type this at 12:30 am because I cannot sleep, mind is racing about everything that is going on at work, trying so hard to keep up with my studies and do my very best, be a good mother and partner, taking care of the new house that we purchased that caught fire before we ever got to move in and required so many repairs that set us back financially, and that leads me to why I feel like I am simply here to work. I forgot to mention that I also work a part-time job catering to help pay for school. The list of things that I provided that causes my anxiety to increase and my stress levels to skyrocket has taken its toll on my mental health, emotional health, and my physical health. Doing life and trying to stay afloat has affected my overall health and well-being. Providing resources to counteract the constant increase of the cost of living could have a positive impact on so many people's lives.
DeleteUBIs are definitely a path forward for public health, equity, and justice. How can we do this? How much money do people need to be healthy? And Happy?
DeleteProfessor - that's a great question. I saw this video once, people having a kind of "prank" conversation to make the table next to them laugh. One said to the other, "You can't buy happiness with money. You know why?... We don't have that kind of money." I think we can't focus on happy - but basic needs? Absolutely. We know what food costs, we know what gas costs, we know what baby formula costs. Understanding the baseline for these would be easy because we have data to fall back on. I know, anecdotally, when my basic needs are met, I have space in my life. I'm not spending my energy on anxiety, I can spend it on other parts of my life that require attention like my job, my kid, my home, or simply my peace. As for where the money comes from, I am all for raising taxes on ultra-high earners. Society demands care for all members, otherwise it has a tendency to break down.
DeleteI think all of your ideas on how to address a UBI are great. I think that incentives for common tasks such as appointments is great from a public health stand point. If I had a UBI payment of even a few hundred a month I would be able to stop working overtime and allow myself to take a lunch break.
DeleteThis not my idea originally but I think it would awesome if healthcare and dental benefits were required for all jobs and careers. That was young kids whose parents don't have enough money to provide them with health insurance can provide it for themsleves when they get a job. I worked at a deli for 3 years and they didn't offer benefits.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I just had an emergency dental procedure exceeding $2500 out of pocket. For people without access to these kinds of funds or credit, they are in pain or they get teeth pulled, which has significant health implications.
DeleteBenefits are definitely important and needed by people for healthcare and dental needs. I think it would be awesome if this was able to be done for people. I wonder how we would be able to do this in a way that could be agreed on by people with different opinions?
DeleteWorking in the dental field, I see how there is such a large population of children that are uninsured with dental or have insurance but parents can only afford the plan and preventive care, but unable to afford other dental procedures. It really is sad.
DeleteI chose to focus on Radical ideas in relation to Hurricane Helene. This idea is not my own, but how cool would this be if this idea would work…Floating Cities as a Disaster Resilience Strategy! The American Society of Civil Engineers, David Jen(2024) talks about Luca Curci Architects out of Venice Italy has created a concept of “Floating City”(Fast Forward,2024) This idea is brilliant and would lessen fatalities and loss of homes, vehicles, jobs, and other valuable resources to live. In “2019 Oceanix Pilot Project revealed a prototype for a floating city that could house up to 10,000 people” (Oceanix – Leading the next Frontier for Human Habitation, n.d.) The link below is what the prototype looked like. Right now the Oceanix is in the pilot and conceptual phase. The challenges that are faced are the high costs to get something like this started as well as political issues, and legal issues. One thing that was mentioned is public acceptance…..How could we convince people to live on a floating city?
ReplyDeletehttps://oceanix.com/oceanix/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/platform_lodging_2.png
Oh wow. This is powerful. I watched a documentary about an island builder who created homes built on plastic bottles. It was affordable and environmentally friendly. I don't see the documentary (I was on a plane) but this is a YouTube video on the idea with Richart Sowa, https://youtu.be/El6AU3riRI8?si=PWKeXaOxm91Cyv-J
DeleteMy "radical" idea is that we should be increasing income limits for benefits access. Many people are struggling right now and even those single individuals making $40,000 are not able to make it on their own. I do not think it is that radical but some are very against supporting its own citizens and would prefer people "work harder" to make ends meet. Do we not all deserve a safe and comfortable life? Money is all made up and given worth by the people so I can not comprehend why people have such strong opinions and not helping others with it?
ReplyDeleteMy radical idea, which shouldn't really be radical, is to take away the criminalization of homelessness. It's almost as if you are kicking a person when they are down. I would love to figure out a solution to homelessness, but I'm not sure where to start. Maybe starting with mental health could be the key.
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely that - I don't think people wake up and make a choice to be out with nowhere safe to rest. A city in Switzerland took a hard look at this and created a series of policies that translate to "Housing First", working to make sure that people had a private and safe space to sleep. We have space to do the same, but because we treat pretty much anyone outside the norm as a criminal, we also tend to punish them.
Deletehttps://www.europenowjournal.org/2023/07/06/homelessness-in-switzerland-from-a-blind-spot-to-new-approaches-in-research-and-practice/
Shante this is an idea we must address and it looks like Switzerland is doing just that. There is work locally to address this issue. Oregon's ACLU is tackling this issue head-on, and calls for immediate change as criminalizing homelessness perpetuates poverty and targets our most vulnerable,https://www.aclu-or.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/aclu-decriminalizing-homelessness_full-report_web_final.pdf
DeleteThis is an interesting bill that would allow unhoused to sue for up to $1000 if they are being targeted by law enforcement, https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/10/us/oregon-homeless-camp-bill-stalled/index.html
Wow! That’s interesting, I will check that out!
DeleteI have never understood criminalizing homelessness. I do not understand what that accomplishes. I do not think we should be kicking people while they are down unless they are harassing or causing disruptions such as yelling at others.
DeleteHealthcare should be a public good, not a market commodity. The right to basic healthcare should be amended into the constitution. This would lay a foundation for the federal government to regulate profits made off of peoples health and force a shift to quality of healthcare from generating revenue. This could also allow for caps on cost in every aspect of healthcare. The focus should be patient outcomes and public health. Instead we are forced to participate in a network of insurance companies and healthcare systems that do not profit if we are healthy, so how are we to trust them with preventative care, treatment plans and procedures. Realizing that we would lose significant amounts of medical innovation, but the majority of people don’t have access to basic healthcare let alone top tier live saving medical treatments, so we can’t really miss something that we were never going to get anyway. I truly believe that there are people out there who will step into place for the good of humanity over the money to be made if there are seats available at the table. I also feel that any healthcare provider that becomes wealthy off of providing necessary medical care is unethical. Hospital administrators that have no medical experience and do not care for patients in any capacity should not be making 7 figure salaries with bonuses. Insurance companies should not be allow to be publicly traded on the stock market paying out dividends to shareholders while millions of people are denied needed medications, procedures and therapy.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about basic rights to healthcare. This is an interesting perspective article on social medicine focus areas and SDOH, and the call for equity,https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9973503/
DeleteI don't know what will happen with the future of our healthcare system. But public health professionals like you can be the change that creates some equity for all.
This is a video I watched today that makes me think differently about poverty. The speaker calls for handing out money to poverty communities, and honoring their choice. It's not about teaching them to fish, they know how to fish, they just don't have a hook. What do you think? Do you agree?
ReplyDeleteGive Cash Not Advice, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt0HOe7gf7I
Wow! This was such a great watch. I loved how the community in Rwanda was able to take the money and use it to build up the community and improve their conditions. For every dollar given a $2.50 dollar benefit was seen in the communities!! This is wonderful and I think we should give people more credit to be able to take control of their lives with cash. My only concern is for families where the parents may not have the best interest of the family in mind. For example, those that are suffering from drug abuse. If someone who is struggling with substance abuse, they will likely use the cash to continue to feed their habit and not to benefit the improvement of their family.
DeleteMy radical idea would be to remove "sex assigned at birth" as an EHR hard-stop alert across healthcare systems for clerical staff during registration. I do not believe it is pertinent information that they are required to know. Per my experience in the healthcare field, I have witnessed that biological sex/labels and the capability to see a patient’s “sex assigned at birth” has generated discrimination. Our identity brings expectations from society of how we should or should not act. Without knowledge of their “sex assigned at birth”, no one may think otherwise. I've heard clerical staff claim, "I never would've known without seeing that! They look just like a male (and/or female depending upon the patient they're referring to). Can you believe that? What is this world coming to? Their parents should be ashamed!" Unfortunately, due to society’s stigma surrounding gender norms, the staff has the ability to discriminate upon discovering this note in the patient’s chart. How we obtain, interpret, or perceive those results can include discrimination as well. The system will not allow registration or admission without completion. It'll initiate a “hard-stop” if not completed. The policy forcing employees to obtain as much information as possible across healthcare systems is what drives inequities. This isn’t a difficult problem to address. In an ideal world with unlimited resources and support, all healthcare providers would realize the impact that one factor could have on their patient. They could easily vote to remove it from the system at their facility as a “hard-stop” which would allow registration to bypass answering it unless the patient chose to. Then if the physician needed to know "sex assigned at birth" for diagnosing or prescribing purposes, they could ask the patient in confidentiality. This would eliminate the barrier of too much unnecessary access causing discrimination. The removal of this “hard-stop” barrier would support equity in excellent patient care and treatment across the board. It would allow the power to shift from the healthcare workers to the patient.
ReplyDeleteAmber this is interesting and I did not realize that the EHR hard stop of sex assigned at birth forced within the system. Does this vary base on EHR and clinical practice? I know the EHR's I work with do not require a sex assigned at birth question...
DeleteThere has been progress around stigma related to gender norms, but more education and advocacy is needed. What are the reasons why this is asked? How might public health workers address discrimination issues within the systems you describe?
It does vary based upon regions/states/healthcare systems. I was discussing this topic with Professor Rodgers in my Gender and Health class as a disparity. When I asked why it was utilized, the facility I worked for claimed medical records purposes (as much info as possible) and precautions due to necessary to know when prescribing medications, diagnosing, etc. It definitely presides around stigma regarding gender social norms. A policy analysis would be an option for public health workers to consider. The real power is within each clinical practice. I’ve seen them vote to override “hard stops” due to inconvenience. That proved they can do it if the majority in power deem it necessary.
DeleteI’m wondering whether they could initiate a public institution policy as an advocacy effort to discuss viability and impact of the policy adopted by the hospital.
DeleteI could understand this for clerical staff, I also do not think it is necessary information for clerical staff to know. I do think that we need this information for clinical staff. I wonder how it could be done to where only clinical staff could see it and be able to have access without the whole having access. I would also assume this would be an easy fix.
DeleteEmma, when I was a registrar/patient access specialist, there were things that CCMA's, RN's and MD/PA/NP's could access that I couldn't within Epic. The moment I became a CCMA, they put in a request to expand my access within the EHR system. It is possible to limit clerical staff and leave such information as only available for clinical staff. They would merely need to alter it in the system. There is a divide between clerical and clinical when it comes to the coding for job titles.
DeleteMy radical idea is that all children should have free lunch at school and access to free dental and medical care. I think the free lunch program should be universal, the income cutoff does not account for many of the population that is ineligible for benefits, but still struggles to make ends meet at home. I also see this in the dental office I work in. Medicaid covers all dental expenses for children that are covered, but there is a large population of people that have dental insurance and children are seen for preventative care, but when it comes to needing treatment, they cannot afford the costs. It is difficult to see parents make decisions on their children's health due to finances.
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant.
DeleteThis article by KFF describes the coverage gap with Medicaid. Several states with ACA expansion have extreme gaps in coverage. Whites are most likely to fall into the gap. What is the solution to this issue?https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/how-many-uninsured-are-in-the-coverage-gap-and-how-many-could-be-eligible-if-all-states-adopted-the-medicaid-expansion/
I realize you don't live in Oregon, but this article reports on how one school district provides free meals to all students, and some interesting policy/action areas that could be used in other schools to make this possible. Research cited in this article shows that students who receive lunches do better academically and have fewer issues with bullying,https://www.opb.org/article/2024/08/14/oregon-school-meals-kids-students-lunch-food-schools/
I also appreciate the stance of schools to increase lunch times to allow for adequate eating and rest- many schools do not provide this. Farm to table/ growing local foods/serving them is another area they are working on. Progress..
Thanks for the article, it is very informative. The ACA Medicaid expansion is great way to get more people insured, but without more states implementing it, it will not be as effective. By expanding we can help decrease the amount of uninsured. In my HEA 312 class we did a policy analysis on a universal free lunch program. It seemed most beneficial to have a universal free lunch program due to the amount of people that were just slightly above the income limits. Also, I have helped at my children's lunch times and it is just not enough time to eat. By the time they get their food and get to their table it is just about time to pack up. It is unfortunate.
DeleteHere is not a radical idea, but a proposed ballot measure in CA to end slavery of incarcerated populations, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/28/california-slavery-ban-prop-6-00185942
ReplyDeleteThis issue was discussed by some groups earlier in the semester. What do you think?
Most of my radical ideas center around reproductive health and justice. Recently a very radical idea/opinion has been coming together piece by piece in my mind. In my work as an abortion doula and the Chair of Carolina Abortion funds Board of Directors I see intimately the failures of our healthcare system, widely independent abortion clinics are heralded as scrapy little organizations that fight to make abortion safe and accessible. However, on the ground things are a lot less clear cut.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is, many independent clinics in a Post-Dobbs America are chains and they are not immune to evils of free market capitalism. As the supply of abortion care decreased across the country, the demand for it in states that have not outright banned it has increased drastically. With this increase there should have been an expansion of operating hours, increases in staffing and training, woefully instead I have seen CEO's take raises while staff make under $15 an hour for skilled jobs, clinic hours have expanded but staffing has not increased, leading to burnt out staff and sub-par bedside manner. Clinics are not properly capping the number of appointments, meaning sometimes there isn't enough space in the waiting room and partners are asked to wait outside. Corporations can open new clinics but cant pay their staff a living wage, despite incredible profit margins. It is shameful.
While the establishment of independent abortion clinics was originally intended to give people access to specialized care much like you see a cardiologist at an independent office rather than going to your primary care provider. However first and second trimester abortion care today is not specialized, it is relatively simple, safe and easy teach, and the existence of independent abortion clinics provides a very conspicuous target for those who oppose abortion care, which has proved violent and deadly for clinic staff and escorts. This combined with unethical practices of some for profit independent clinics I have seen post-Dobbs has made me certain, abortion must be covered by insurance and it must be integrated into standard reproductive healthcare that can be provided in office or surgical center by an OBGYN, Midwives and Advanced Practice Nurses. Abortion care has been siloed away as something "other" for far too long and the consequences grow more deadly by the day. Its time for my movement to acknowledge independent for profit abortion clinics have out-lived their usefulness. How we actually do anything about this is much larger and longer story that includes at minimum the codification of Roe v Wade, repeal of the hyde amendment and medicare for all.
A "radical idea" I thought of mine would be to ensure universal free nutritious meals for all children during their assigned lunch time. The quality of food takes part in our overall being! Ensuring all children in all schools where they will receive free lunch meals will most likely increase their academic performances. No matter a child's socioeconomic status, they will gain this opportunity to further better their health personal lives as well.
ReplyDeleteEspecially for those kids who come from low-income families, this would assist the family but taking care of one out of the three required daily meals. I also think implementing mental health services in schools would benefit kids overall health and specifically their academic performances. These two idea can go together to ensure youth health is never neglected
DeleteHere is a article that speaks about providing free breakfast and lunch meals for all students (regardless of their parents income) that attend Durham public schools in North Carolina!
Deletehttps://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2024/08/21/durham-public-schools-free-meals
This idea was adopted this year and funded by the USDA community eligibility provision program.
Hi Leah,
DeleteI love this idea! So many people struggle to afford the basic needs of their families and many of the reduced price or free lunch programs are income based, which leaves out many families who are struggling but do not meet the qualifications. This would ensure that children do not go hungry throughout the school day and would there would not be any stigma attached to the program since it would be for all students.
I saw this interesting thought that providers should be paid based on their patient outcomes not volume of procedures and I thought this was a unique idea. I think it would shake up the health system and push physicians to be more attentive
ReplyDeleteMy “radical” idea is not something that I came up with on my own, it is one that I found. It involves creating safe, sustainable housing for at-risk populations, including veterans, the elderly, the homeless, and victims of natural disasters. Operation Tiny Home (n.d.) is a top-rated non-profit organization whose mission is to “assist people struggling with severe housing instability to maintain a life of dignity through custom high-quality tiny housing solutions and empowerment training programs”. Finding innovative ways to build affordable, quality housing for vulnerable populations would promote stability, health, safety, equality, and improve the lives of many individuals. Operation Tiny Home (n.d.) helps to provide transitional, emergency, and long-term housing options for communities across the nation. Safe housing conditions is a basic human need, we should be doing more to prevent homelessness and to help at-risk populations.
ReplyDeleteOperation Tiny Home. (n.d.). Building Brighter Futures Together. https://www.operationtinyhome.org/#:~:text=Founded%20in%202014%2C%20Operation%20Tiny,survivors%2C%20and%20other%20at%2Drisk
Although my proposal may seem radical at first, it is truly a need that should be adopted nationally. I want to take time to bring light to the overlooked topics of the maternal health crisis that the United States is currently experiencing, particularly among people of color. My radical idea is the immediate declaration of a national law requiring all states to teach healthcare providers cultural competency, further education on health risks for minority populations and patient communication. Medical providers would have to take online courses on listed topics and attend a seminar monthly to continue education on health equality and communication.
ReplyDeleteBlack women have higher risk of dying from pregnancy-related problems than white women. Systemic problems in healthcare, such as unconscious bias and unfair treatment, are to a huge part of the blame. Many medical professionals, highlighting those in obstetrics and gynecology, lack the training necessary to identify how these biases impact their care, which can lead to incorrect diagnosis, postponed treatment, or a lack of support.
This requirement of additional training/procedures would include cultural competency and anti-racism training, standardizing care practices, patient advocacy and communication and more.
We can potentially lower maternal mortality, and hopefully shift the thoughts and feelings toward healthcare providers in all fields, ultimately working to reduce deaths of pregnant and post partum mothers and reshape healthcare as a whole.
Excellent idea. I am surprised that there is not a national law on cultural competency in providers. There are CLAS standards we follow, and here is some progress, https://www.medcentral.com/biz-policy/cms-continues-federal-push-toward-culturally-competent-healthcare
DeleteMy radical idea is universal free health care for everyone, healthcare should be treated as a right, and no matter their social class, people should not get sick and die because their resource is limited to afford healthcare services. Healthcare is like a privilege in the United States because of its cost. Many people are dealing with high medical bills and collections of bankruptcies.
ReplyDeletemany people are afraid to go to see a doctor when they are sick because of the high cost.
According to the World Health Organization, “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition”.
Having access to health care is a basic human right no matter your social class, where you live, or how much money you have. I hope we will get there one day.
Agree! Free healthcare for everyone - it is a fundamental right that we don't recognize or honor.
ReplyDeleteWow. This is powerful. I want to know more about how this can happen. I wonder if there have been 'greed interventions' for example...
ReplyDelete