Download Our 2023 Policy Agenda Here!

Each year, Health & Medicine’s policy priorities shift to adjust to the most pressing public health equity issues. We align these priorities with our core values, our mission to build power and momentum for social justice and health equity in Illinois, and our vision of a society free of social and health inequities so that all people can attain their full potential.

We are pleased to release our 2023 Policy Agenda.

Focused on Aging and Long-Term Care, Community Safety, Health Care as a Human Right, Health Workforce, Public Health Equity, Reproductive Justice, and Trauma-Informed Care and Systems, this agenda builds on our 41 years of commitment to health equity and lays out our top priorities for policy change in 2023.

Aging and Long-Term Care

• Legislation requiring the State of Illinois to develop a strategic action plan for aging equity

Community Safety

• Defunding and abolition of the police, with sustained public funding for community wellbeing and
  safety, including non-police public health responses to violence, health, social, and economic problems

Health Care as a Human Right

• Universal health insurance coverage, especially for undocumented immigrants, through an expansion
  of the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults/Seniors program
• Sustainable funding, accountable governance, and equitable health care access at Cook County Health

Health Workforce

• Community health worker voluntary certification, reimbursement, and sustainable career pathways
• Sustainable public health jobs and transparent, affordable, and accessible education and career
  pathways to grow the public health workforce

Public Health Equity

• Sufficient, flexible, and sustained public funding for state and local public health departments
• Healthy, safe, affordable, equitable, and accessible housing, including proactive rental inspections and
  just-cause for eviction ordinances
• Environmental justice progress, including passage of a cumulative impact ordinance in Chicago

Reproductive Justice

• Equitable access to a full range of contraception and abortion services and resources
• Expansion of birthing options by allowing licensed certified professional midwives to practice as
  primary birth attendants, increasing birth center reimbursements, and reducing unnecessary
  administrative rules

Trauma-Informed Care and Systems

• Widespread trauma-informed policies, practices, policy development standards, and trainings
  supported by sufficient public funding

For more information or questions about our policy priorities, please contact Margie Schaps, Executive Director; Gita Krishnaswamy, Deputy Director; or Wesley Epplin, Policy Director.