So you are registered to vote, but let’s add some barriers – Limited access to a car, just moved, and you have a million other things to worry about in May.  The Indy 500 is coming up.  You are training for the mini-marathon.  Your kids are getting done with school.  Okay, elections are furthest from your mind…

And May 8^th? A Tuesday?

And it is only to vote for the Republican Candidate?

You are now thinking – “Come on! I can sit this one out. No big deal!”

But what if you thought about it this way?

Legislators like to keep their jobs.  Hopefully it is because they like to lead our country in a positive direction.  BUT! It is true that everyone likes job security.

Well if a legislator likes to keep his/her job, then they need to gain votes.  At least enough votes to beat the other candidate that they are running against.  So, if a legislator is in office, but they are thinking about the future and getting more votes, then how are they going to do that?

They are probably going to serve the wants and needs of the people who have already voted, first.  So, if you DON’T vote, then will that legislator listen to what you have to say?

flickr photo by mdanys

This is one way that I think about the need for everyone to vote.  Plenty of different people have different reasons to vote.  But what is stated above has always made sense to me on the reason to vote.

You may not feel as if your voice is being heard during elections, but when it comes down to advocating for a cause, specifically funding for the Health Centers program and Medicaid, being a voter MAKES your voice heard.  Legislators pay attention to those who are going to polls, sending in absentee ballots and have the potential to swing elections.

SO GET OUT AND VOTE!

MAY 8^TH is the Indiana Presidential Primary.  If you are not registered to vote, it is just a little too late.  But, don’t get discouraged, if you register to vote now, then you will be good to go once November gets here!

Another way to get your voice heard?  Signing our petition to support health centers and Medicaid!

At a time when health centers are seeing ever increasing demand for their services in rural and urban communities across the country, we are grateful that Congress has responded with this bipartisan bill which begins to address that need!
– Tom Van Coverden, President & CEO of NACHC.

Congress passed the
2012 Omnibus Appropriations Act!

But what is even more exciting than them actually passing it, is that the Health Centers Program will be funded at $2.78 billion!  Totaling an increase of $200 million.

With only 12 days left until 2012, this is great news to hear.  Not only will all current federal funding be kept for current health centers, but the funding increase will allow greater access to health care for more than 1.5 million additional Americans.

Outside look of NEW Barrington... set to open - March 2012

An interesting tidbit from NACHC’s press release – An estimated 60 million Americans — many of whom have health insurance — do not have access to primary medical care because of a shortage of providers in their communities.

HealthNet has benefitted from federal funding in the past, as we have been able to open doors to a new Southwest Health & Dental Center, a new People’s Health & Dental Center, and our Eastside Health Center, as well as build a new Barrington set to open early in 2012.

This maintaining of federal funding ensures us the ability to continue to provide primary and preventative care to Hoosiers in Marion County and look to the future of possible expansion into areas where health care is still a need.  As said above and in NACHC’s statement, many citizens HAVE health insurance but are simply UNABLE to access care.

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Grassroots advocacy DOES WORK, even with a down economy and political tension in the air. 
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Enjoy your holiday season, but be sure to join us in picking up where we left off once we turn the corner into 2012 and an electoral year!

[T]his major reduction will — in this year alone — negate the ability to provide basic health care services to over 5 million of our most vulnerable Americans, and will seriously undermine the ability of health centers to provide services to 40 million people by 2015.” – press release from the National Association of Community Health Centers

This cut in health center funding has received mixed feelings from people everywhere.  The good thing is that, according to Congressional summaries, no health center SHOULD have to close its doors and funding to continue services as is will remain.  However, with the good, comes the bad.  Community health center expansion is halted. This will affect the millions of people in this country who, today, cannot access basic primary and preventive health care services in their local communities. It also affects health care costs, as these underserved communities must continue relying on expensive visits to the emergency room for their basic primary care. With cuts in appropriations, the Department of Health and Human Services will have to redirect funds from the Affordable Care Act in order to simply maintain operations as they are today.

Feel free to research the links above to learn more about the state of the Health Center Program TODAY, but as advocates giving a care about health centers in Indianapolis, the state of Indiana, AND throughout our nation, we need to keep forging ahead.

Here are three ways to help community health center expansion despite the funding cuts.

1.  Continue to call, email, and fax letters to your legislators
   - Remind your Representatives and Senators that even the slightest setback will not discourage us from emphasizing the importance of health center funding.  This will give us more clout and respect as an advocacy group, and our Congressmen will have to continue to take us seriously.
2. Educate your friends and family about community health centers.
   - Plenty of people STILL do not understand the mission and role of community health centers.  Spreading the good news of the work done in our centers, the money the health care system saves, and the number of lives touched by FQHCs can only help gain more advocates who will be easily persuaded to sign a petition or send and email when called upon to do so.
3. Keep working with the same amount of passion.
   - Whether you are a front desk worker, a physician, a nurse midwife, or finance staff person, continue to approach your job with the same passion day in and day out.  Our funding may have been cut, but that should not mean that our quality of care has been cut. The passion of CHC staff is what makes advocacy easy!

 What is one project that you would like to see done to help with Health Center Advocacy?  Share your ideas below!!