Health Equity/Healthcare

Healthcare/Equity Task Force

April 2011

Michigan Consumers for Health Care Advancement

MOSES is one of the founding members of this statewide coalition (michigancareadvancement.org).  MOSES staff and leaders have attended statewide meetings and serve on the Grassroots Taskforce.  MCHA mission is to work toward a future when all Michigan residents will have access to quality, affordable comprehensive health care.  MCHA also represents the needs of consumers as the new Affordable Care Act is implemented in Michigan.  Along with our colleagues at Gamaliel Michigan and MichUHCAN, MOSES is working to insure that community organizing at the grassroots is a significant component of the work plan and strategy for this new organization. 

Essential Services

MOSES leaders are meeting with administrators at SE Michigan health systems.  At these meetings our leaders are introducing MOSES and asking that MOSES be included in decisions regarding hospital closings and elimination of essential medical services.  Federal health care reform requires community input in assessing the health status of the communities they serve.  Our leaders are also asking that MOSES be involved in those assessments.  At our most recent task force meeting, Ponsella provided training on a power one on one to further equip our leaders for this work.

Healthy Heartlands

What it takes to build healthy communities for us all is a focus for the task force’s work.  As part of the Kellogg funded Health Heartland project – we’ve pulled together public health professionals serving Wayne County, Detroit, Michigan and at Wayne State and University of Michigan along with MOSES leaders to create a Health Equity Policy Committee.  We are holding our first meeting “The New Engagement – Community Organizing in Public Health” Tuesday May 24th.   MOSES and U of M faculty will provide education on both community organizing and the social determinants of health so we will have a shared vocabulary and knowledge base as we work together to shape MOSES health equity agenda.

Health Equity in State Policy/Legislation

Following up on last year’s public meeting, MOSES pulled together a team to help us craft a strategy to promote the assessment of health impacts on proposed public policy and legislation.    We decided against promoting our original ask for an Office of Health Equity and to instead request a staff person from the Governor’s office to work with us on developing a plan for how to insure these issues were addressed.  The Kirwan Insitute is drafting a white paper on the issue and we will seek the endorsement of MOSES member congregations/clergy.  We will also be seeking the support of member congregations’ health ministries.