Dr. Nicole Betschman, Public Health Leader, on RFK Jr. Nomination to HHS
Dr. Nicole Betschman is Trinity’s Director of Public Health Programs and Assistant Professor in our School of Nursing and Health Professions. Additionally, she is the President of the D.C. Public Health Association. Following President-elect Trump’s announcement of the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Betschman gave an interview to NBC-4 in Washington, and she has also written this essay in response to the appointment:
Essay by Dr. Nicole Betschman on the Appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
as Secretary of Health and Human Services
A wise person once said never ask, “What could possibly happen next?” — that is the state that we are currently facing as we inch closer to inauguration day of a second term under a very radicalized administration. The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services is that ‘next’ that we, as a District and a country, are currently staring in the face — in the face of a possible increase of racial health disparities. Many of us fighting for public health were in an utter state of disbelief after the election but now we are now in fight mode for public health and more advocacy for the entire country and specifically marginalized communities. Washington D.C. relies on federal resources which could cause a major disruption in the number and types of services, such as the Affordable Care Act, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Medicaid, that many Washingtonians and the county rely upon to stay healthy.
Now what? Now we rally all public health advocates and start to brace for the ‘what ifs’ so that IF another public health crisis occurs, we act. Washington D.C. has one of the highest rates of racial health disparities in the country with so many citizens who are disproportionately affected by diabetes hypertension, and maternal mortality — imagine what would happen if vital public health education initiatives are eliminated in Ward 7 and Ward 8 and other communities?
RFK Jr. has publicly criticized several public health initiatives, such as vaccinations and fluorination in the water, that have saved the lives of many. Let us not forget about 12-year-old Deamonte Driver who tragically lost his life due to tooth decay and the loss of Medicaid services. If RFK Jr. shifts or eliminates funding in any of the HHS agencies, I am afraid that the health inequities will increase even further in the Nation.
Trinity Washington University is a major social justice institution and each of us, students, faculty, and staff, have a responsibility to make a change. Every major at this university can and will be impacted by this nomination and it is our duty as educators to provide the tools to the future educators, sociologists, psychologists, historians, scientists, political advisors, lawyers, health care professionals, social workers, and public health experts.
As President of the DC Public Health Association (DCPHA), along with my colleagues I am dedicated to protecting the personal, public, and environmental health in the District, but we cannot do it alone. We must lean on institutions of higher education and other advocacy organizations and groups in the District to marshal all of our resources together for the health and wellness of all Washingtonians for these next 4 years.
