Newswise — Washington, DC, October 2, 2017 – The Root Cause Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing hunger and other societal issues that impact health and well-being, will host the Second Annual National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health October 9 and 10 at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville, KY.  The presenting sponsor of the summit is the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the event will bring together leaders from health care, the non-profit sector, the faith community, researchers, clinicians, government leaders, educators, and businesses to share best practices, and to provide practical information on how organizations and communities nationwide can engage in addressing the social determinants of health. 

 “The data and research increasingly show the critical association between the social determinants and poor health status among many of our most vulnerable children, adults and seniors,” says Barbara J. Petee, Executive Director, The Root Cause Coalition. “Factors such as food insecurity, lack of safe and affordable housing, quality education, transportation, and isolation have a significant impact on individual and community health. And while the financial toll to health care and other sectors is in the hundreds of millions each year, the human toll is incalculable. This summit will provide real world experiences on how organizations and communities across the country are responding to these complex issues.”

 As the presenting sponsor of the Second Annual National Summit, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is committed to supporting national and local initiatives that help build a culture of health to improve well-being for all.  

 “Now more than ever we need to have opportunities for dialogue about what makes up, and can enhance, the vital conditions of health in our communities,” says Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, FAAN, Assistant Vice President – Program, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “The summit provides the place, time and the mix of solutions-oriented, multi-sector leaders needed for the dialogue and learning to take place.”

 Presentations will include:

• More than 24 advocacy, education and research breakout sessions focusing on how organizations and leaders can address the social determinants of health in their communities
• Roundtable discussions with c-suite leaders from health systems, foundations, and direct service nonprofits on creating a community culture of health
• Networking with other national leaders who are addressing these issues impacting their communities

 For more information or to register for the summit, please visit www.rootcausecoalition.org.

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Media Contact:

Gina Sares

The Root Cause Coalition

419-262-0371

 Note: the following speakers are available for interviews:

• Keynote Speaker: Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, FAAN, Assistant Vice President, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Barbara Petee, Executive Director, The Root Cause Coalition
• Roy Beveridge, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Humana
• Maurice Jones, President and CEO, LISC
• Paula Phillippe, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Social Responsibility, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
• Robert Casalou, President and CEO, St. Joseph Mercy Health System

 The Root Cause Coalition, founded by the AARP Foundation and ProMedica, is a nonprofit organization of 35 members committed to engaging health professionals from all disciplines and provider models, public health organizations, government officials, the nutrition and food industry, and other organizations, for the purpose of developing and implementing sustainable solutions to improve our nation’s health and well-being.  Its name, The Root Cause Coalition, demonstrates the deeply interconnected links between reducing the incidence of societal factors such as hunger, lack of safe and affordable housing, quality education, transportation, and isolation on the health and well-being of individuals and communities. For more information, visit www.rootcausecoalition.org.