« Copy of May 2018 Issue

Speak Up for Better Health Award - Nominations Open!

The Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation is pleased to announce the Speak Up for Better Health Award! This new prize recognizes exceptional people raising their voices and working to improve their health and the health of their communities. Our goal is to find and amplify stories of people whose lives and actions demonstrate the power that each of us has to make better health possible for all of us.

In particular, we are looking for everyday people who struggle with a serious health challenge and have nevertheless taken up their leadership in extraordinary ways. Undeterred by roadblocks to better care, they tirelessly seek change for themselves and others with clinicians, health system leaders, elected officials or policymakers. These advocates may include parents or caregivers of someone with complex needs, people with disabilities or chronic illness, older adults and/or people experiencing poverty or other social challenge.

The Grand Prize winner will receive $500 and will be honored and recognized at the Community Catalyst Annual Convening of State Advocates in September 2018 in Atlanta. Each of the three runners-up will receive $200.

If you would like to nominate yourself or someone you know, please do so here. The deadline for submissions is May 31.

If no one comes to mind, you can still help us by promoting the award nomination process within your networks and organization. It can be as simple as retweeting content from the Center’s Twitter account, or using our promotional packet, which includes sample tweets, a Facebook post and a blurb for your organizational newsletter.

If you have any questions, please contact Jack Cardinal at jcardinal@communitycatalyst.org.

O N   T H E   W I R E

2018 marks Community Catalyst’s 20th Anniversary! Stay tuned for updates related to this milestone.

Rob Restuccia, executive director, and Andrew Dreyfus, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, co-authored an op-ed in CommonWealth Magazine about how the 30th anniversary of the Universal Health Care Law in Massachusetts spurred the last three decades of consumer-led advocacy on health care at both the state and federal level.

Rob also teamed up with Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to write a post for JAMA Forum on the relationships between health and housing.

Sue Sherry, deputy director, talked to Marketplace about how hospital sale of patient debt is bad for consumers.

Center Director Ann Hwang, MD wrote about the connection between civic engagement and good health in Next Avenue, a national media service for older adults.

Join us in welcoming:

Pareesa Charmchi, State Advocacy Manager, Children’s Health Initiative and Jessie Zimmerer, State Advocacy Manager, Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation

We are delighted to share the following promotions:

Dara Taylor to Director, Diversity & Inclusion (in addition to her role as Director of Consumer Assistance); Carrie Rogers to Project Manager, Expanding Coverage Through Consumer Assistance; Ana Maria De la Rosa to Senior State Advocacy Manager, Substance Use Disorders and Justice-Involved Populations; Marissa Korn to Program and Advocacy Associate, State Consumer Health Advocacy Project; Emily Polak to Program Director, State Consumer Health Advocacy Project; and Orla Kennedy to Policy Analyst, Substance Use Disorders Project and Justice-Involved Populations

Media Contact

Jack Cardinal
Deputy Director of Communications
617-275-2923 
jcardinal@communitycatalyst.org

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