Intersections with Social and Economic Justice: Health Care in Context Cynthia Negrón, COLOR Rudy Gonzales, Servicios de La Raza Thamanna Vasan, Colorado Fiscal InsAtute
Reproductive Health & Justice Presenter Name: Cynthia Negrón Date: April 29, 2016
About us COLOR is a sisterhood of Latinas dedicated to building a movement of Latinas, their families and allies through leadership development organizing and advocacy creating opportunity achieving reproductive justice COLOR's herstory began when a grassroots group of Latinas searched for strategies to overcome high teen pregnancy rates increasing rates of HIV/AIDS lack of access to health care in the Latino community
Reproductive Justice RJ is a framework that places the lived experiences of women at the center of the debate. RJ movement came about as a reaction to white feminism. RJ was coined in 1994 by Loretta Ross, founder of SisterSong in Chicago. RJ is about more than just health outcomes and legal rights, it is about ACCESS and WHO is involved.
Reproductive Justice RJ core principles: 1) A woman has the human right to decide if and when she will have a baby and the conditions under which she will give birth. 2) A woman has the right to decide if she will not have a baby and her options for preventing or ending a pregnancy. 3) A woman has the human right to parent the children she already has with the necessary social supports in safe environments and healthy communities, and without fear of violence from individuals or the government.
DEFENSIVE Policy Priorities Defend licenses for undocumented immigrants program (SB 251, HB 1274) Defend against encroaching on youth rights and freedoms (HB 1110, HB 1058) Defend against attempts to make performing an abortion a felony offense (HB 1113) Defend against unnecessary changes to existing law hostile to abortion rights (HB 1007, HB 1146, HB 1200) Defend against TRAP laws: Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers which catalyzes mass clinic closures (HB 1203) Defend against unnecessary & nonconsensual medical practices, such as forced ultrasounds on women seeking abortion care (HB 1218)
PRO ACTIVE Policy Priorities Drug production cost transparency (HB 1102) Support direct entry midwives (HB 1360) Improve access to birth control for everyone by removing barriers (HB 1294) Equal pay for equal work (HB 1001) Improve child care options, especially for low income families (SB 22, HB 1001, HB 1050) Support pregnant workers (HB 1438) Support caregiver leave (HB 1002) Promote multicultural perspectives in education (HB 1036) Make it easier to vote (HB 1111, HB 1300, HB 1070) Demand more respectful language for undocumented immigrants (HB 1396)
Strategies for Change Culture shift Abortion is healthcare Destigmatization & story telling Community education & development LOV, Latino Advocacy Day, etc. Leadership development Volunteers, LIPS, 1in3 etc. Testimony and lobbying Growing relationships with legislators Lobbying and policy analysis Community partnerships Shared resources, cross training Intersectionality & allyship Voter registration Voter education Get Out the Vote!
Community Education & Healthcare My Health, My Voice A Step by Step Guide to Using Health Insurance Improving health literacy and health insurance literacy Watchdogging rule breakers Identifying problems that need solutions HOST A WORKSHOP! cynthia@colorlatina.org Promotoras de Salud A program of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains to improve health care access for latin@s Advisory Council represents the group that is target for services HIRING SOON! cynthia@colorlatina.org
Opportunities at COLOR NOW HIRING! Well paid election year jobs Full time positions TBD Artists needed Contests and grants offered Internships for college credit Communications, political science, macro social work, gender studies & 1in3 Council Abortion stigma fighting group Volunteering & Activism All-around lifesavers and frontline peeps Call 303-393-0382 or email Cynthia@colorlatina.org
Upcoming Events facebook.com/colorlatina/events All Access Denver Celebrate those who support abortion access with local music and community building. September 10 th, 11am 3pm Marquis Theater, 20 th and Larimer, Denver I am dreaming of with Favianna Rodriguez Weekend of Artivism Sept 23 rd 25 th Su Teatro/Art Students League of Denver Call 303-393-0382 or email Cynthia@colorlatina.org
Rudy Gonzales Servicios de La Raza
Small Group Discussions We invite you to break into 4 small groups to discuss the following questions related to consumer engagement: ² 1. What does meaningful engagement in health reform look like for patients/consumers? ² 2. What are the best practices for consumer engagement? At what level of the system are these practices most meaningful (grassroots, practice level, state level, hospitals, advisory boards, etc.)? How can these practices have the most impact (for advocates, for consumers, for providers, for policymakers, etc.)? ² 3. How can existing health care entities (facilities, providers, payers, etc.) help to create (better) consumer engagement in their initiatives? What is currently lacking or needed for that to happen?
Partners, objective Compare ColoradoCare to current system cost and access What are people paying Data sources and terminology CHAS, MEPS, ACS, CES, CFI data Survey partners Colorado LaAno Leadership, Advocacy and Research OrganizaAon (CLLARO), the Colorado Immigrant Rights CoaliAon (CIRC), CulAvando (frm. Community Enterprise), 9to5 Colorado,El Centro Humanitario, Re:Vision,
Comparing ColoradoCare to
Latino community sees large gains from ColoradoCare
The Survey N=578 366 Hispanic and LaAno adults 35% ciazens 18% lawfully present 47% undocumented immigrants Median age all respondents= 37 undocumented immigrants was 38 Family composiaon Children under 18= 255 households At least one member over the age of 65= 50 households (9 were heads of household)
Median income of those surveyed is slightly lower than that of the overall population
Citizens are covered by public and private health care at higher rates than lawfully present and undocumented immigrants
And citizens are more likely to receive health care from an employer
Why the uninsured or underinsured lack coverage
Where do you go for health care advice when you are ill?
Regardless of coverage, those surveyed had difficulty accessing care
Why were you unable to access necessary health care?
Do you know what this term means? (answered yes)
Conclusions and surprises When surveying immigrant populaaons and shaping policies There is confusion about where and how to access care Some noted that they actually leave the country for care Others were unsure if the place they go is a federally qualified clinic or public health care It maaers who these individuals are interacang with, not just if they are seeing a professional Care is expensive and people are confused about how to access care Even ciazens who have health care were unsure about how to access care
Questions? Contact Us Colorado Fiscal InsAtute vasan@coloradofiscal.org 720-379- 3019 www.coloradofiscal.org