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Health Equity Week 2025 Schedule of Events 

The seventh annual statewide Health Equity Week (#HEW25) will be held Sunday, April 6, 2025, through Saturday, April 12, 2025. This year Health Equity Week will serve as a chance to address Connecticut’s need to stand united, focused, and committed to championing health equity throughout this legislative session and beyond. With Championing Health Equity as our slogan, we will focus our efforts on providing awareness and discussing potential solutions/policies and practices to address access and affordability and how it impacts the health of Connecticut residents.

Health Equity Solutions advocates for the following bills and invites you to co-sponsor them as we work toward ensuring equitable healthcare access, delivery, and outcomes for all Connecticut residents. 

HES Hosts Advocacy 101 Session at Connecticut State Capitol

Earlier this month, HES Senior Policy Manager Kally Moquete-Gonzalez led a session on advocacy for the Advocacy in Action at the Connecticut State Capitol for the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Moquete-Gonzalez shared foundations & strategies of effective advocacy, and discussed key policy issues impacting Connecticut. 

Training Opportunity: Health Equity 101

In collaboration with Yale School of Public Health and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., HES Training & Outreach Specialist LaToya Tyson and HES Director of Social Enterprise Taylor Tucker are hosting trainings on Health Equity 101, a self-study course that introduces the concept and its application. See the flyer below to learn more and register for a session.

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:

• Connecticut Democrats sound alarm on proposed cuts to federal Medicaid funding: Medicaid cuts of $800 billion could jeopardize healthcare for nearly a million residents, placing clinics and hospitals under financial strain. CT Democrats argue that the state may struggle to cover the gap, potentially leading to reduced services. Republicans counter that Connecticut's own policies contribute to the crisis, citing concerns over spending priorities and the need for budget reforms. Read the full article HERE
• 'Segregated facilities' are no longer explicitly banned in federal contracts: A recent change by the Trump Administration removed a clause from federal contracts that explicitly prohibited contractors from having segregated facilities like restaurants, waiting rooms and drinking fountains. The removal of the prohibition on segregated facilities clause from federal contracts signifies a shift in the government's approach to enforcing civil rights laws and promoting diversity and inclusion. Read the full article HERE
• VA to phase out treatment for gender dysphoria: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will phase out medical treatments for gender dysphoria in response to President Trump’s executive order defining sex as strictly male or female. VA healthcare spending on transgender-related care has historically been a very small fraction of the total budget. Less than 0.1% of enrolled veterans are transgender, meaning the actual cost savings are likely minimal. Read the full article HERE

HES is seeking a Policy and Advocacy Manager to research and analyze health policies, write reports, and communicate with advocacy networks. The Policy and Advocacy Manager will focus on issues like medical debt prevention, Medicaid, maternal health, and lay health workers while ensuring community voices are heard in healthcare programs. The role involves preparing policy information for diverse audiences. This is a full-time position with a generous benefits package. Read job description and apply HERE.

The Universal Health Care Foundation of CT & Bailey College of the Environment at Wesleyan University are hosting an interactive and intensive training that will equip participants with the tools to analyze personal and systemic barriers to social equity and become effective organizers for justice. Dates & Times: May 9: 5 PM – 8 PM | May 10: 10 AM – 4 PM | May 11: 10 AM – 3 PM. Meals, parking and child care provided. 
Questions, contact Rose: rosana.garcia.ferraro@gmail.com. Register HERE

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

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