We need a moratorium on hospital closures NOW to #SaveMercy and #SaveProvident. Submit a witness slip in support of SB558 HFA3, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ health equity omnibus bill that includes a moratorium on hospital closures. It will be discussed in a House Executive Committee Hearing TODAY.

To file a witness slip, go to bit.ly/savemercyslip – Fill out the form with your information. Note that most fields are mandatory. If you do not officially represent an organization, please write “SELF.”- For position, select “SB558-HFA3” from the drop-down menu, and click “PROPONENT.”- For testimony, choose “record of appearance only.”- To submit the created slip, accept the terms and click the “create slip” button.

We need a moratorium on hospital closures NOW! Chicago Needs An Elected Representative School Board Now! Out of more than 800 school districts in the state of Illinois, Chicago is the largest and one of the only districts that does not have an elected school board! KOCO has been on the frontline for years on the need for an Elected Representative School Board for Chicago.

We urge you to take action with us today to call State Senate President Don Harmon to call the vote for HB 2267, which creates an Elected Representative School Board for Chicago. CPS’s appointed board isn’t accountable to families, teachers or voters. Having a school board appointed by the mayor for 25 years has not brought stability to CPS in terms of finances, enrollment or labor relations.

We are tired of not having a voice and a vote and how our public schools are run like every other school district in Illinois. Aren’t you?�� Call Senator Harmon TODAY at (217) 782-8176.

Chicago parents and citizens deserve full democracy, not ‘hybrid’ democracy.�� CPS families of color call for elected school board

The post State House Committee Discussing Moratorium on Hospital Closures Happening NOW! appeared first on ��ѻ��ýCommunity Organization.

CHEC is committed to ensuring that Mercy Hospital remains a full-service safety net and teaching hospital for generations to come. But Insight has no experience in operating a full-service hospital. That makes transparency, community oversight and participation in governance is more crucial. Community stakeholders must have��equitable representation��on the new board of directors��with voting powers and a significant role in how the new owner operates Mercy Hospital��in Bronzeville.

���ܰ���includes expectations for:
1. restoring critical services, 2. governance, 3. financial stability, 4. transparency, 5. collective bargaining, 6. including employee retention and rehiring. Mercy Hospital is able to provide comprehensive health care for the long term. See the full rubric evaluation tool here

The Chicago Health Equity Coalition is made up of SEIU Health Care Illinois and Indiana, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Teamsters Local 743, Lugenia Burns Hope Center, National Nurses United, Mother’s Opposed to Violence Everywhere, Physicians for a National Health Plan, BYP100, SEIU Local 73, White Coats for Black Lives, People for Community Recovery and Mt. Carmel MB Church.��

CHEC’s goal is to stop the closure of hospitals in vulnerable communities on the South and West sides of Chicago and work to ensure that all Illinoisans have equitable access to health care. We must continue to work together to realize health equity in Chicago in our lifetime!

The post Huge Mercy Hospital Victory, But the Fight Isn’t Over appeared first on ��ѻ��ýCommunity Organization.

Back in the summer when the word about Mercy Hospital closing emerged, the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization and the Lugenia Burns Hope Center formed the Chicago Health Equity Coalition (CHEC), made up of community, labor, healthcare and faith-based organizations, to fight back and #SaveMercy and #SaveProvident. Since May of 2020 CHEC has consistently been on the front lines of the fight to save Mercy Hospital.

Much has happened since the summer and our Coalition has consistently been demanding that Trinity Health Systems sell Mercy and it was made public last week��that Trinity has agreed to sell��Mercy Hospital and��has identified��a prospective buyer to��keep the hospital open.��We are pleased that Trinity Health Systems is finally willing to sell to a buyer to keep a full-service hospital at the site! Though we are pleased with this development,��we reject a process where Trinity determines who the buyer will be.

CHEC has met with Trinity’s Proposed buyer, but also plans to meet with other potential buyers. ��We are��calling on the Illinois Health Facilities Board to��deny��Trinity’s proposal to sell to their buyer��unless the��CHEC and elected officials get the opportunity to examine��all proposals.��Nothing about us, without us.

Join us virtually or submit your written statement for the next public hearing of the Illinois Health Facilities Board on Mercy tomorrow,��Friday, March 12 at 11 AM.��The deadline to register to speak��at the meeting is today, so����and pass the word.

We must continue to work together to realize health equity in Chicago…in our lifetime!

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