Founding Health Center Principles: Voter Registration and Advocacy!

The health center movement—created during the struggle for civil rights—was founded on principles of democracy and civic engagement for underserved populations. This mission includes voter registration and advocacy to achieve health care justice. Engage with policymakers in the opioid debate, register clients to vote, and advocate for needed changes!

Council Updates

Opioid Policy Priorities Endorsed by 50+ Organizations

The Council is sharing with Congress members our policy priorities endorsed by over 50 local and national organizations. The Council will continue to advocate for provisions important to the Health Care for the Homeless community to be included in any final bill package. Thanks to all the organizations that signed our letter. Continue to take action on this issue by planning a local event and sharing patient and provider stories with policymakers and media outlets.

Voter Registration for People Experiencing Homelessness

We must continue to fight for the rights of individuals to vote and dictate the outcome of their own lives. With Election Day a few months away, now is the time to make voter registration a part of your practice (yes, it’s completely legal!). Sign up for our upcoming webinar to learn more from experts in the field on how, where, and what you can be doing to register people without homes to vote.

The Summer Solstice: A Time to Celebrate and Advocate!

On June 21st we celebrated the Summer Solstice, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. On this day we celebrate those who have overcome homelessness and recognize a crucial truth: with affordable housing, adequate incomes, comprehensive health care, and appropriate supportive services, we can end homelessness not only for individuals, but also as a society. See how other cities celebrated.

Policy News to Know

Congress Pushes New Opioid Legislation: The House of Representatives voted to send a package of over 50 bills addressing the opioid epidemic to the Senate for consideration (read about what is and isn’t in the final package). The Senate has released multiple active opioid bills themselves, although it is unclear when Senate leadership will bring the bills to the floor.

Food Stamp Bill Moves Forward: The Senate votes on a bill to fund the SNAP/ Food Stamp program for the next 5 years. Learn more about this bill and how to take action against proposed dangerous amendments and revisions from our partners at FRAC. 

Immigration Debate Takes Center Stage: The forced separation of children and families at the border and current immigration practice are top-line issues in Washington and for human rights activists across the country. Read the human rights argument against proposed bills, more on how these practices incite trauma and mental health conditions, and find local demonstrations on June 30th.

A Federal Plan to Reorganize Benefit Programs: The Trump Administration released a plan (that would require an unlikely vote of approval from Congress) to consolidate all social benefit programs under one agency, making it easier to reduce funding for crucial programs that support vulnerable people. This would have significant implications for low-income populations and those that serve them. Learn more.

The U.N’s Report on Poverty is Dismissed by U.S. Ambassador: The UN’s special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights published a report on poverty in the U.S. The report highlights how in the U.S. “immense wealth and expertise stand in shocking contrast with the conditions in which vast numbers of its citizens live.” The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, responded to this report, dismissing the estimate of 18.5 million people in extreme poverty and referring to the report as politically motivated. Read more.

What We're Reading

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