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Health Care For All and the Southeast Asian Coalition to Host Health and Dental Care Community Forum in Worcester
WHO:
Representatives of the advocacy organization Health Care For All, the Southeast Asian Coalition, led by Executive Director Ahn Vu Sawyer, and members of the Worcester community with concerns regarding access to health care, including dental and behavioral health services.
WHAT:
Health Care For All and the Southeast Asian Coalition will be hosting a community forum in Worcester to hear from consumers about their experience in the health care system. Advocates want to understand the barriers that local residents in the Greater Worcester area face in order to access affordable and quality care. The goal is to identify key issues that affect the population and discuss potential solutions at the local and state level.
The city of Worcester has the third largest number of uninsured residents according to a report produced by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation.
Almost 9,000 people lacked health insurance between 2009 and 2013, which represents 4.9% of the population.
The last Community Health Assessment highlights that even residents with health coverage struggled to access care due to cost, a shortage of providers, transportation, language issues, cultural differences, timeliness and availability of appointments, and disabilities.
In terms of behavioral health, the assessment identified numerous daily challenges Worcester residents encounter including significant economic stress, exposure to violence and trauma, and substance use disorders.
Oral health is also an area of concern for many communities in Massachusetts. Preliminary findings issued by the Health Policy Commission show a high use of hospital emergency rooms for preventable oral health conditions such as tooth decay and gum infection.
WHEN:
TODAY! Tuesday, April 12
6pm – 7:30 pm
WHERE:
Southeast Asian Coalition
484 Main Street, Suite 400
Health Care For All (HCFA) is a Massachusetts nonprofit advocacy organization working to create a health care system that provides comprehensive, affordable, accessible, and culturally competent care to everyone, especially the most vulnerable among us. We achieve this as leaders in public policy, advocacy, education and service to consumers in Massachusetts. Learn more at www.hcfama.org.