Hi, I’m Bonnie Preston and I am honored to serve as the Acting Regional Director and Executive
Officer for HHS Region 9. Our office is the front door to HHS in this area. We can answer questions,
provide information, and assist with resources for the work you are doing. Every day, me and my team
are engaged with governors offices, mayors, tribal leaders, and other partners, like you – regarding
HHS policies and programs, to ensure that our efforts are informed by your experiences. I work
with my regional colleagues in HHS Divisions like the Administration for Children and Families, the
Administration for Community Living, the CDC, CMS, FDA and other agencies outside HHS such as HUD,
FEMA, USDA, EPA, Department of the Interior – all to better meet the needs of people in Region 9.
From the beginning, the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Becerra have seen
health and social needs demanding their attention as they pursue well-being for all Americans.
We are tackling COVID-19; we know we need to reduce health care costs; we are expanding
access to health care; we are addressing health care disparities and strengthening behavioral
health. We’ve made some progress during our first year. We have more tools than ever to prevent,
fight, and treat COVID-19, including boosters, vaccines, and therapeutics. And we have a public
education campaign underway that uses trusted messengers in communities across the country
to remind people that vaccines are safe and effective. We’re working with states and counties
to make sure they have what they need to encourage vaccines in all age groups, and are ready with
testing and can provide early treatment promptly for those who get sick and are at risk of serious
disease. We’re working to ensure that no matter who you are or where you live, you can access
health care free from discrimination. This means enforcing our federal civil rights laws on race,
color, disability, religion, and sex. Discrimination threatens the lives of many
across this country. In Region 9, we’re focusing on building resilient communities by strengthening
public health and health care capacity in areas most vulnerable and underserved - our tribal and
territorial areas as well as underserved rural and urban communities – these are our priorities.
In the last year, we’ve also worked to expand access to health care to more Americans. During
the 2022 Open Enrollment period, a record 14.5 million people enrolled in quality health care
in the Marketplace, including 6 million who were new to that coverage. And over the course of the
pandemic, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program flexed to accommodate more
people; enrollment grew 14 percent, from 71 million to roughly 83 million people,
the largest single increase in the program’s history. We’ve prioritized behavioral health
and invested billions in programs, block grants, and other initiatives. We’ve added more resources
to assist those suffering with drug addiction, as many have advocated for a long time – we
now support harm reduction and recovery services whole-heartedly and see them as key parts to the
substance abuse services continuum. Looking ahead, we are implementing the White House COVID-19 plan
to protect against and treat COVID-19, prepare for variants, prevent business and school shutdowns,
help vaccinate the rest of the world, and save lives. We seek to continue our partnerships
with you as we address mental health, which the President has made a national priority in 2022.
At the same time, we want to make more inroads in curbing prescription drug costs,
putting child care in the reach of all, and making home and community based services
more available to more people so more people can live independently for as long as possible.
This Administration, with your help, has made significant progress. And yet there is more
work ahead. I look forward to working with you to serve the people of Region 9. Let’s connect,
please email us at region9ord@hhs.gov to join the regional listserv, follow us on Twitter
and contact us to request a meeting with me and members of the regional HHS team. Thank you again.