 | | | “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel | | | | Welcome to Health Equity Solutions' monthly newsletter! Have content to contribute? Fill out this form.
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Know someone who might be interested in receiving our newsletter? Share this subscription link! | | | | | | | | | |  | | | | | Governor Lamont Issues Executive Order Establishing Office To Promote Equity and Inclusion Within Connecticut State Government: - The Executive Order aims to eliminate institutional and systemic barriers within the Connecticut State government and create opportunity and access for all those it serves and employs. This initiative was developed through collaborative efforts, particularly championed by the Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health, co-chaired by our ED Ayesha Clarke.
- The executive order implements many of the recommendations from the Commission's report, 'Dismantling Structural Racism within State Government,' which underscored the need for equity plans and other essential measures, including the Governor's plan to hire a Chief Equity and Opportunity Officer.
- We are pleased to see that the executive order reflects much of the language in the amendment to SB 414, which HES testified in support of during the legislative session. This executive order marks a significant advancement for Connecticut, offering a pivotal opportunity to promote transparency and embed equity across state agencies.
| | | | | | 2024 Community Conversations! Community involvement is essential to effective policymaking. Every year, Health Equity Solutions organizes Community Conversations to understand the health equity issues that matter most to Connecticut residents. During these discussions, participants share their perspectives on health equity and healthcare and express their interest in contributing to this work. The insights gathered from these sessions inform our annual policy agenda. Want to get involved? Email Katherine (Kati) Villeda at Kvilleda@hesct.org. Read our previous Community Conversations Reports here. | | | | | | | | | Join us for a one-of-a-kind event as we forge a collective path to advance equity, ignite change, and celebrate a special milestone in our work towards the vision where all people in Connecticut have access to equitable healthcare regardless of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. We are honored to recognize the many partners who have engaged, organized, and advocated with us over the past 10 years. Together we will acknowledge our collective achievements and shine a light on the hard work still yet to be done. We hope you will join us for an evening of meaningful connections, inspiring conversations, and shared aspirations delights! For more information, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, CLICK HERE. 🎉 Thank you to our current sponsors! We are grateful for your continuous support: The Connecticut Health Foundation, Hartford HealthCare, and CHR - Real Life, Real Hope. | |  | | Are you passionate about health equity and anti-racist practices? Do you have knowledge and experience about the U.S. healthcare system? A knack for staying on top of emerging trends and best practices? We're looking for someone like you to provide technical assistance and consulting support. APPLY TODAY 🌟 https://hesct.org/joinourteam/ | |  | | The HES Advantage is an extension of Health Equity Solutions that offers customizable, equitable consulting, facilitation, and training services to agencies, healthcare systems, and communities with a race-forward approach. | | | | | | | | | | Announcements/Upcoming Events: How happy are you? Are the public parks in your area in excellent, good, fair, or poor condition? When was the last time you saw a dentist? DataHaven is reaching out to Connecticut residents to learn about community well-being! Thousands of randomly selected residents in each town will receive phone calls from survey-takers at the Siena College Research Institute. Learn more about the survey here! | | | |  | | Over 60% of adults enrolled do not utilize any of their oral health services in a single year. The Connecticut Oral Health Initative's new campaign, Healthy Smiles, Healthy Lives, is focused on encouraging and helping adults enrolled in Medicaid/HUSKY utilize their oral health services. Take the pledge here. | |  | | Do you know anyone pregnant in CT? The Bridge Project wants to connect with pregnant people for the launch of a new unconditional cash transfer program. Qualified individuals can receive up to $750 a month! Apply using the QR code and contact info@bridgeproject.org if you have any questions. | | | |  | | | | | 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: - What to know about fair rent commissions in CT: "Fair rent commissions are municipal boards that hear the complaints and concerns of tenants in their municipality. Those complaints can range from things like unjustified rent increases to low-quality of housing. Fair rent commissions have the power to conduct investigations, issue subpoenas and issue orders regarding landlord-tenant disputes." https://ctmirror.org/2024/07/22/fair-rent-commission-ct/
- In the 10 states that didn’t expand Medicaid, 1.6M can’t afford health insurance: "Nearly 1 of every 5 uninsured working-age adults...earn too much money to receive Medicaid but not enough to qualify for financial help to purchase their own plan on the marketplace. The analysis also found that more than 60% of those who fall into this gap are people of color: Latino people account for 35%, Black residents account for 24%, and Asian people account for 2%." https://stateline.org/2024/07/19/in-the-10-states-that-didnt-expand-medicaid-1-6m-cant-afford-health-insurance/
| | | | Made it this far? Thank you so much for reading our updates! We appreciate your support. If you have any questions, please email info@hesct.org. Best, HES Team | | | | | | Health Equity Solutions
53 Oak Street | Hartford, Connecticut 06106
860.461.7637 | info@hesct.org | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
