Strengthening Colorado Community Health Centers Through Grassroots Advocacy

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Strengthening Colorado Community Health Centers
ThroughGrassroots Advocacy

• Elizabeth Garbe
• Policy Analyst
• Colorado Community Health Network

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Presentation Overview

• Community Health Center Movement
• National State Local
• Grassroots Advocacy
• Legislative Priorities
• How You Can Participate

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The Community Health Center (CHC) Movement

• Created in 1965 by the Johnson Administration
• Vision
• Communities will have accessible, affordable, and
  appropriate primary health care regardless of
  patients ability to pay
• Community members will play a unique leadership
  role in the delivery of health care
• Started with 8 CHCs now more than 1,000

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The 5 Pillars of a Community Health Center

• Serve all patients regardless of ability to pay
  for services
• Located in high-need areas
• Provide comprehensive primary health care
• Governed by community boards
• Mission-driven to provide health care to
  low-income, working families

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Americas Community Health Centers

• There are more than 1,000 CHCs serving 3,600
  communities in every state and territory of the
  United States
• CHCs are the health care home for more than 15
  million Americans
• CHCs have been rated the most successful program
  of the US Department of Health Human Services
• President Bush has made CHCs a centerpiece of his
  national health care agenda

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(NACHC)

• Represents Community Health Centers nationally
• Provides a coordinated structure and united voice
  for Community Health Centers and state Primary
  Care Associations
• Takes the lead on national issues affecting
  Community Health Centers

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• Represents Community Health Centers statewide
• Provides a coordinating structure and united
  voice for Community Health Centers
• Takes the lead on state issues affecting
  Community Health Centers

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By the numbers for Colorado

• 14 Community Health Centers
• 118 sites in 34 counties
• Served nearly 400,000 patients in 54 of
  Colorados 64 counties
• Provided 1.6 million patient visits in 2006

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Why we need YOU!

• Any successful legislative advocacy must include
• Policy analysis and professional lobbying
• Media and public relations
• GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

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What is Grassroots Advocacy?

• You and Me advocating for change because
  government policy affects
• Our lives,
• Patients lives, and
• The services we can provide to our community.

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What is Advocacy?

• Asks something of others
• Demands a change to benefit the lives of many
• Creates a collective voice
• Creates a space for public discussion
• Finds solutions to problems

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Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport
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CCHNs Legislative Priorities

• Protect current services and resources.
• Participate in health care reform efforts to
  increase access to comprehensive primary health
  care for all Coloradans.
• Increase funding necessary to expand access to
  health care.

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State Funding IS Important to CHCsIncome
Sources for Colorado Health Centers
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What This Means

• State laws and regulations determine
• How a program is implemented.
• How funds are dispersed.
• Who can participate in programs.
• Being a part of the future has to do with our
  efforts today.

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We Are Powerful!

• Colorados Community Health Centers
• Care for 1 out of 12 Coloradans
• Employ over 2,600 Coloradans
• Are located in almost every legislative district
  in Colorado

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We Are Powerful!

• Legislators must be accountable to their
  constituents.
• If they do not hear from their constituents we
  lose an opportunity to shape their position.
• Just five calls from constituents can make an
  enormous difference in the way a legislator will
  vote on an issue.

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Proof of Success

• SB06-44 CICP Funding
• E-mailed legislators
• Called the Governor
• Referendum C
• Walked door to door
• Put yard signs up
• Educated family and friends
• Voted
• Amendment 35
• Walked door to door
• Put yard signs up
• Made calls
• Educated family and friends
• Voted

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• Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
  committed citizens can change the world. Indeed
  it is the only thing that ever has.
• Margaret Mead

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How You Can Participate

• Sign up to receive messages from CCHN.
• Respond to Calls to Action.
• Get to know your CHCs Grassroots Advocacy
  Coordinator.
• VOTE!

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• Of all the forms of inequality,
• injustice in health care is
• the most shocking and inhumane.
• Martin Luther King Jr.

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THANK YOU!

• GET ACTIVE!