Category: Health Care

Support Dental Access in Washington!

By rachael_decruz | Published January 18, 2012

Routine dental care is basic health care. But many adults and children in Washington can’t get the care they need.

House Bill 2226 and Senate Bill 6126 can change that, by expanding access to routine and preventative dental care for adults and children in Washington. It does this by creating a Licensed Dental Practitioner, a mid-level provider similar to a nurse practitioner in a doctor’s office. They work under the supervision of a dentist, provide routine and preventative care, and extend the reach of dental care to people who are going without the care they need. This model has already been successfully implemented in Alaska and Minnesota.

The top five reasons it’s important to support House Bill 2226/Senate Bill 6126:

A recent survey found that a majority of Americans have put off dental care in the past 12 months because it’s too costly. Untreated dental problems turn into health crises – and they are the number one reason that uninsured Washingtonians sought emergency room care between January 2008 and June 2009.
Access to dental care is an issue of opportunity and equity. Dental care is least accessible to low-income people, people of color, and those who live in rural areas.
Right now, 30 out of 39 counties in Washington face a shortage of dental care professionals.
Creating a new mid-level dental provider – a dental therapist – is an effective way to create much needed jobs and meet the growing demands and needs of communities across our state.
Licensed Dental Practitioners could provide much needed affordable and timely routine and preventative dental care in Washington State.

House Bill 2226 and Senate Bill 6126 will expand the reach of dental care in Washington. Send an email to your legislators TODAY telling to support access to affordable dental care by supporting House Bill 2226 and Senate Bill 6126!

For more information and personal stories that highlight the current lack of dental access in Washington, check out our report, The Mouth Matters. Questions? Interested in getting involved in the campaign? Email Mariah at mariah@washingtoncan.org!

Also posted in Economic justice, Featured, Social justice, Take Action | | 1 Comment

Where would MLK sit-in?

By rachael_decruz | Published January 5, 2012

Join us on Monday, January 16th as we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in Olympia. Our annual lobby and action day will use the tactics and teachings of Dr. King to continue the fight for a more equitable society.

As Dr. King famously said in “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”:

You may well ask: “Why direct action? Why sit ins, marches and so forth? Isn’t negotiation a better path?” You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored.

We are at this point now with the state budget fight. Our communities simply cannot endure anymore cuts. Yet, the Legislature convenes on January 9th to do just that. Once again, Basic Health, interpreter services, education, Disability Lifeline, Maternity Support Services and other crucial programs are facing elimination or drastic funding reductions. We need to ensure that our state raises revenue instead of cutting the programs and services that families, communities and the vulnerable in our state rely on.

We’ll hold sit-ins in legislators offices on MLK day to shine light on the fact that we cannot withstand anymore cuts to the budget. As the 1% continues to prosper, the rest of us are struggling to get by. Help us fight for the kind of world Dr. King wanted to see.

Register now to attend our Martin Luther King Day Action and Lobby Day on Monday, January 16th from 11am-5pm at the Capitol Building in Olympia.

In addition to sit-ins, the day will also have a training on how to talk with lawmakers, meetings with legislators and a rally with allies. Join us for a fun-filled day of action and a celebration of Dr. King, who’s work continues to inspire and push our movement forward. We’ll provide meals and transportation for folks.

Questions? Contact Rachael at rachaeldecruz@washingtoncan.org.

Also posted in Economic justice, Education, Events, Immigration, Social justice, Take Action | | Leave a comment

Washington’s Apple Health for Kids program receives national recognition

By rachael_decruz | Published December 29, 2011

The Apple Health for Kids program in Washington recently received a $16.9 million cash award from the federal government for the state’s efforts to connect more children to health care.

According to a press release by the Children’s Alliance, Washington’s children are more likely to have health coverage than children in 39 other states because of Apple Health for Kids’ affordability and streamlined enrollment practices. This is the third year in a row that Apple Health for Kids has earned this federal recognition.

The program was created in 2007 for children who had no other affordable health insurance options and has provided much needed services to children throughout the past 4 years. According to the Children’s Alliance, Apple Health for Kids now covers more than 4 out of every 10 children in the state (733,000 children).

The program’s popularity and success points to the importance of having an affordable health insurance option in the state.

“Thanks to Apple Health for Kids, my two kids are able to see the doctor on a regular basis and receive the care they need,” says Washington CAN! member Adela Ramirez. “Without the program, we wouldn’t be able to afford health insurance because it’s too expensive. Everyone should have access to high quality, affordable health care; especially children.”

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Special Session ends, state still in need of new revenue sources

By rachael_decruz | Published December 27, 2011

The Special Session ended on December 14th, with the legislature passing a budget that reduces the deficit by $480 million. The budget that was passed only resolves a quarter of the state’s $2 billion deficit and leaves the more controversial cuts on the table for the regular session which begins on January 9th.

According to the Washington State Budget & Policy Center, The $480 million was a combination of cuts, fund transfers, and a small amount of additional revenue from the sale of unclaimed property (depicted here in graph form). The programs and services we’ve been fighting to protect were untouched for the time being. See below for some of the cuts that were highlighted in the Herald:

$49 million was saved by delaying payments to school districts for bus replacement by 10 months
Money was also saved by releasing 21 juvenile offenders early, trimming aid to TVW and not filling vacant positions in several agencies
$82.6 million that was unspent by state agencies in the last budget will get used to pay down the deficit
Another $96.5 million was saved because of lower-than-expected costs in many programs

Thankfully the Special Session didn’t bring about the end of the Basic Health Plan, the elimination of interpreter services, a shortened school year, or cuts to the multiple human and social service programs that support families and communities. However the fight for revenue will need to continue in the new year when all these programs are once again on the chopping block.

Throughout the whole first week of the Special Session thousands mobilized and brought their demands to Olympia. The message was clear – families and communities cannot sustain any more cuts, it’s time for everyone to pay their fair share. People shared their stories, spoke with their lawmakers, participated in rallies, and voiced their concern over the affects that another all-cuts budget would have on the people of Washington. Stories and news clips are compiled at occupythecapitol.org

Washington CAN! members also shared our new report: Facing Race: How Budget Cuts Are Increasing Racial Disparities with lawmakers to highlight the fact that communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the budget cuts.

In order to ensure that the upcoming Legislative session does not bring us another all cuts budget, it’s imperative that we continue to fight for a fair and just economy that works for everyone. We’ll be heading back down to Olympia on MLK Day (Monday, January 16th) to make sure that lawmakers hear in-person from their constituents about the need for revenue and the importance of the programs and services that are facing cuts. Register now to join us!

Legislators need to hear from their constituents. This New Year, join us in sending a letter to your legislators, urging them to close special interest tax breaks and raise revenue. We’re tired of budget cuts that are decimating communities, while big banks and big corporations aren’t paying their fair share. Let’s ring in the New Year differently this year, by putting people over profits.