MISSION STATEMENT
To promote health and healthcare access in East Jefferson County, with a particular focus on equitable access to local and affordable, quality healthcare, including behavioral and dental healthcare.
We acknowledge that the disparities in healthcare access in Jefferson County mirror those in the nation at large. More than half of Americans delay medical care because of cost, and many cannot afford their rising health insurance premiums. Many Americans distrust the healthcare system as it currently exists, and many county residents lack timely access to affordable care.
WHO WE ARE:
Citizens for Healthcare Access (CHA) of East Jefferson County is a diverse group of citizens who want to improve our local healthcare system and lessen the hurdles many face when accessing healthcare. We are part of Local 2020, but do not have official members and officers–we have only an informally designated facilitator–and we charge no dues. We welcome anyone who wants to participate in our email discussions and attend our meetings.
WE PLEDGE TO:
1. Share information, education, and advocacy opportunities within the group, keeping up-to-date on federal, state and local legislation and policies which affect local healthcare and the availability of services.
2. Create a welcoming, safe place where everyone in the community can be heard and supported in their concerns about or efforts to address healthcare access issues.
3. Monitor social media and other ground-truth sources to help understand grass roots concerns, looking for opportunities to improve access in the local community and take action for resolution.
4. Form work groups to develop resources and take on projects that can benefit the health of the community.
5. Work to identify gaps in care and service and educate our members and the public on actions they could take to maximize the effectiveness of services provided in the County’s Public Hospital District and Public Health programs.
6. Generate health and healthcare related questions for candidates for public office.
7. Educate the public to increase healthcare literacy.
PRIORITY ISSUES FOR THE FUTURE
Ensure that the full range of reproductive health services remain available in the county, specifically programs that provide medically sound, evidence-based treatment and provide emotional support to the young people of this community.
Boost efforts to improve the availability of mental health programs and support, particularly for the young people of the community and for those persons from historically oppressed populations.
Preserve access to health insurance in the county, improving the affordability of health insurance, and lessening out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
Integrate mental health and substance abuse treatment within the larger healthcare system in the county.
Continue community and state support for the Public Health Department programs that have given this county one of the lowest teen pregnancy rates and one of the lowest covid death rates in the country.
Ensure all healthcare in the county remains evidence-based, free from personal bias, and free from interference by religious or political directives across the full range of a person’s life.
Work toward a future healthcare system that is not driven by the financial goals of insurance companies, drug companies, and private equity firms.
Support the sharing of best-practices in rural healthcare by learning what works well in other rural areas and passing along knowledge of successful programs in the county.
ONGOING QUESTIONS:
What specific things should we do on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis to improve access to healthcare in East Jefferson County?
What specific things do we do as individuals and as a group to make our group a welcoming place where all can belong and feel empowered to participate in the discussions?
How can we create a generative space for discussion and sharing that is open to everyone in the community that cares about healthcare? How can we break down logistical barriers to participation so that more people feel like they are welcome?
How can we rotate leadership so that everyone has a chance to facilitate, everyone has a chance to highlight a different leadership style, and everyone has a chance to develop their own personal leadership style?
Who are our current partners in the community regarding healthcare and who else should we be partnering with? What can we do to be a better partner to these organizations?