email : Webview : HCH Mobilizer: Everything Still on the Table

Everything Still on the Table

You cleared your Thanksgiving table, but Congress hasn’t cleared theirs. With just two weeks left until the 2017 session ends, Congress is facing an enormous laundry list of must-do items to include addressing funding and policy aimed at numerous programs and groups of people: health center funding, children’s health insurance, immigrants, hurricane victims, and tax-payers. Read more about what’s on deck for the next few weeks in Congress at The Hill and NPR.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed with the deluge of catastrophic policy threats, tweets, headlines, and deadlines. The National Health Care for the Homeless Council encourages everyone to make self-care a priority. Under Take Action we’ve outlined the two federal policy issues most crucial for the HCH community as we head towards the end of the year and what you can do about them.

News from the National HCH Council

Synopsis of the President’s Opioid Report: In response to the final report from the President’s Commission on the opioid crisis (released November 1) we’ve outlined a synopsis covering items of greatest interest to the HCH community in the report.
Questions for the Confirmation Hearing of Incoming HHS Secretary Alex Azar: With 13 sign-ons, we submitted questions on the record for the nomination hearing of Alex Azar on November 29th. Full confirmation of his appointment is expected in early 2018.
Save the Date for Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on December 21: Get ready for HPMD with our Organizing Manual, archived webinar, and other materials. Register your event or contact us to receive help in organizing events. HPMD is an opportunity to highlight the need for housing and health care and to make sure our elected officials prioritize programs and policies that work to end needless deaths. Stay tuned: advocacy materials will be available soon on our HPMD webpage!

What We're Reading

Looming Senate Tax Bill Vote Making Healthcare Leaders Uneasy | Modern Healthcare
Analyses of the Senate Tax Plan | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Lawmakers Making Progress in Talks on Children’s Health Care | The Hill
Facing "Hard Decisions," Health Centers Plead for Restored Funding | The Hill
What Red States Are Passing Up as Blue States Get Billions | New York Times
Research: Bridging the Health and Housing Gap | Association for Community Affiliated Plans
Research: Housing Cost Burden Among Housing Choice Voucher Participants | HUD

Humor

Did you receive Mobilizer as a forwarded email or hear about it via social media? Register now to receive our action alerts each month!

Regina Reed, MPH
National Health Policy Organizer
National HCH Council
Baltimore, MD
rreed@nhchc.org
(443) 703-1337

Remember: it is legal to lobby on behalf of your health center. Find guidelines or reach out to us directly with questions.

Health Center Funding

Despite the progress we’ve made, we must continue to keep up the pressure by telling our senators to take immediate action to fix the Primary Care Funding Cliff. Refer to our call to action for the HCH community, which includes talking points on HCH. Send an email, tweet, or Facebook post with just one-click using this tool from our partners at NACHC.

Read Our Call to Action

The Federal Budget & Affordable Housing

Congress is responsible for funding many federal programs vital to the HCH community. The current deadline to reach a budget agreement is December 8th, but we expect an extension through 2018 to reach a deal (lest the government shut down). Right now we’re asking Congress to work together to lift the spending caps and ensure housing programs receive the highest level of funding. Learn more and find tips for engaging with lawmakers from our partners at NLIHC: FY18 Budget Outlook for Affordable Housing Programs (or view slides).

Learn More

Local Feature

In the Woods and the Shadows, Street Medicine Treats the Nationals Homeless: Featuring the great work of Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, PA.

This publication and all HCH advocacy are funded by dues from Organizational Members of the Council and by private donations. Consider joining the Council to support this work.

National Heatlh Care for the Homeless Council