Advocacy
Together with our partners, we advocate for policies and changes that lead to a stronger, more just and responsive community health system—a system that works for everyone. It’s a system that is less dependent on inaccessible hospital care and instead is centered around community-based primary care and social services.
We use our experiences at the local level to shape our advocacy agenda at the state and federal levels, focusing primarily on expanding fair and just access to care, shoring up funding for public health departments and community health workers, and advocating for stronger social support systems.
Pushing for Policies and a Stronger National Response
PIH-US’s presence on the national stage has enabled us to take a more active and visible role as an advocate, supporting policies that increase equity-centered response efforts. Throughout the pandemic, our advocacy has focused on expanding funding for testing, contact tracing, and supported isolation; social supports and care resource coordination in congregate settings and for essential workers; equitable vaccine distribution; and rebuilding the U.S. public health workforce around a cadre of new community health workers.
CONGRESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT:
We have guided legislative language in the American Rescue Plan Act, the Health Force and Resilience Force Act, The COVID Community Care Act, and other key legislation. Congressional leaders have asked us to address the House Democratic Caucus, the Ways and Means Committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Labor and Education Committee.
PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION ENGAGEMENT:
We launched a campaign that will help the U.S. government implement new funding to build a public health workforce, guided by experiences from across the country. We have also been building relationships with the Biden/Harris administration to advise on vaccine equity, COVID-19 response and recovery, and more.
GRASSROOTS OUTREACH:
Through our grassroots volunteer network, PIH Engage, and coalition efforts, we have guided constituent-level outreach to more than 200 Congressional offices on issues of health equity and public health workforce. These meetings have helped to build stronger support for legislative efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives.
STATE-LEVEL ADVOCACY:
We are engaged in legislative priorities in Massachusetts to expand vaccine equity, build public health system support, and deliver on public health priorities in jails and prisons. In addition, we are supporting campaigns in North Carolina, Chicago, Alabama, and Florida that aim to advance health equity through state-level policy change.