Friend, welcome to Health Equity Solutions' monthly newsletter!

Health Equity Week 2025 is over, but there's still work to do. As we approach the end of the 2025 Legislative Session, let's keep up the momentum. Here are some actions you can take today to push Connecticut, including our legislators, to eliminate medical debt for CT residents and support reimbursement for community health workers!

Call your state legislators and ask them to co-sponsor SB 1192: An Act Concerning Hospital Financial Assistance.

We're advocating for key amendments to the bill: 

• Automatic qualification for financial assistance for patients enrolled in SNAP and WIC. 
• Annual reporting by hospitals on the amount of financial assistance they provide, including data on how many people requested help and ow many received it. 

We're also advocating for critical legislative support for Public Act 23-186, which provides stable funding for Community Health Workers (CHWs) and expand their services in underserved communities. 

We're asking legislators to: 

• Provide appropriate funding for PA 23-186.
• Encourage the timely implementation of PA 23-186.
• Ensure CHWs are paid directly or through trusted employers without being required to work under medical professionals for reimbursement.
• Align reimbursement policies with the CHW Core Consensus (C3) Project standards and the DPH certification process.
• Commit to racial, cultural and linguistic equity in the implementation of this policy. 

It’s a Wrap: Health Equity Week 2025 Was a Huge Success!

Thank you for celebrating #HEW2025 with us! We extend our gratitude to the advocates, allies, elected officials, and community members who lent their voices, passion, and time to our collective advocacy. Your efforts are truly making a difference and we're deeply thankful for your commitment to building a healthier, more equitable world for us all. 

Special Thanks to Health Equity Week 2025 Sponsors! 

Health Equity Solutions is proud and grateful to recognize our 2025 Health Equity Week Sponsors! Their generous support is a driving force towards funding our work and sends a powerful message to decision makers that everyone in CT deserves to be healthy.

Constanza Segovia and Senator Gary Winfield Receive HES Advocacy Awards

Congratulations to Constanza Segovia, recipient of the Patricia Baker Award for Advocacy in Health Equity and Senator Gary Winfield, recipient of the Racial Justice Advocacy Award. We are honored to share this space with you. Thank you for your outstanding advocacy!

We love to highlight the work of our partners and interesting events in the health equity neighborhood. Have content to contribute? Fill out this form. We're eager to learn about what you're working on. Know someone who might be interested in receiving our newsletter? Share this subscription link!

Stay informed about the latest developments in health equity, social determinants of health, racial justice, and more! Every week, we feature relevant news articles and reports on our social media. Check out a few highlights below:

• 60,000 Americans to lose their rental assistance and risk eviction unless Congress acts: Thousands of families like Daniris Espinal’s, who escaped homelessness and domestic violence with help from Emergency Housing Vouchers, are now at risk of losing their homes again. The federal program, launched in 2021 to provide stable housing, is rapidly running out of funds, potentially ending by late 2025 unless Congress intervenes. Advocates warn that without renewed support, tens of thousands could face eviction and a return to dangerous situations. Read the full story HERE.
• Yale faculty support national coalition aiming to defend public health from political threats: In response to growing political interference in evidence-based health policy, Yale professor Greg Gonsalves launched Defend Public Health, a national coalition of over 3,000 health professionals, scientists, and advocates. The group works to protect public health infrastructure through advocacy, public education, and grassroots organizing, tackling issues from vaccine access to health equity. With strong student involvement and nationwide support, the coalition is pushing back against anti-science rhetoric and funding cuts threatening decades of progress. Read the full story HERE.
• How cutting Medicaid would affect long-term care and family caregivers:  As Congress debates how to reduce the federal deficit, House Republicans have proposed up to $880 billion in Medicaid spending cuts over the next decade — a move that could severely impact long-term care for elderly and disabled Americans. Since Medicaid funds more than half of all long-term care services, including in-home caregivers, cuts could force more people into institutional care and place additional strain on unpaid family caregivers. Advocates warn the changes would disproportionately hurt low-income families and potentially lead to worse health outcomes. Read the full story HERE. 

• Lawyers warn clients of increased arrest risk at immigration check-ins: Immigration attorneys are raising alarms as more undocumented immigrants are being detained during routine immigration appointments — even those married to U.S. citizens and without criminal records. Lawyers warn the shift toward increased enforcement is creating fear and uncertainty among immigrant families trying to navigate the legal system. Read the full story HERE. 

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