Dear friends,
Health systems and community-based nonprofits across the country are navigating confusion, fear, and uncertainty in the wake of recent unprecedented, chaotic, and deeply harmful executive branch actions and orders.
Some leaders feel the only appropriate response is to comply in advance, scrub language, and try to stay the course while hoping to avoid attacks from reactionary officials or litigation. Others are curtailing health equity efforts, reconsidering social needs investments, or conversely, shoring up policies and protections that support their most vulnerable patients. Most are having a hard time keeping track of the policy threats, while few have the resources for comprehensive organizational risk assessments or action plans.
HealthBegins is committed to bringing clarity and a clear sense of direction to the chaos.
We began with an explainer on immigration enforcement in healthcare settings, outlining what the law does (and does not) say and how healthcare and community organizations can prepare and respond.
We will follow with a webinar on February 25: Complying in Advance: Understanding Risks and Opportunities for Health Equity Work in a Time of Uncertainty
We will continue our support in the coming months with concrete resources on sustaining and strengthening care for immigrant and LGBTQIA+ communities, maternal and reproductive health, as well as Medicaid, food security programs, and other critical policies and infrastructures under threat.
Join us to understand the facts about current policy threats to health equity and social needs, get tools to assess risks to your organization and your mission, and identify a menu of actions to help respond to this moment.
This political moment is illustrating what we’ve always known: health inequities and unmet social needs are experienced as harm. Even amid uncertainty, our responsibility remains to provide high quality, equitable care and to protect employees, patients, and communities from policies and actions that put people in harm’s way. And with clear and accurate information, strategy, and solidarity, we can.
Best,
Rishi Manchanda, MD, MPH. Sadena Thevarajah, JD
Featured content
Providing Health Equity for Immigrants in a Time of Crisis
This moment presents an opportunity for healthcare leaders to harness the national attention focused on immigrant care to build investments, policies, and protections to improve care for these communities long-term.
HealthBegins Brief: Addressing Climate Health Inequities With The Community Health Needs Assessment
This HealthBegins Policy and Practice Brief invites every healthcare organization to immediately begin addressing the impact of climate change on health at the community level and with community participation.
Immigration Enforcement in Healthcare Settings: How to Prepare and Respond
Many of our healthcare partners are asking how they should prepare for potential ICE encounters on their premises and respond in the interim to concerns among patients and staff. These questions, answers, and resources provide some guidance.