Dear Friend, 

To build health and achieve equity, Oregon needs a reimagined public health system–and we need sufficient, sustained funding to get there. Today’s Oregonian includes an op-ed by Washington County Public Health Administrator Tricia Mortell and me calling on the Oregon Legislature to invest in public health—including the community partnerships essential for health equity. 

“This year, advocates are calling on the Legislature to invest $69 million in public health for the next biennium. These funds will allow state, local, and tribal health departments and their community partners to control communicable diseases, strengthen data assessment capabilities, respond to environmental health threats and disasters and build health equity.” 

Today’s Oregonian also includes an op-ed by Representatives Wlnsvey Campos, Andrea Salinas and Teresa Alonso Leon that is a must-read. Campos, Salinas, and Alonso Leon call on the Legislature to pass HB 3352, known as “Cover All People.” Cover all people will expand state-provided health insurance coverage (Oregon Health Plan) to low-income Oregonians regardless of immigration status—essential for reducing health disparities and allowing all Oregonians to thrive. As a member of the Oregon Health Equity Alliance, OPHI supports this call to action.

“When opportunities in our state are withheld from a specific class of people, we perpetuate systems of inequity. As legislators of color, we believe it is important to challenge the injustices that have been in our nation and state since their founding. For this reason, we are championing House Bill 3352, which would expand our Medicaid program to cover low-income Oregonians regardless of immigration status.”

Do you want to help make Oregon’s public health system more equitable and more effective?  Find your state senator and representative here and encourage them to fund public health and Cover All People  this year and every year. 

Yours in health, 
Emily Henke 
OPHI Executive Director