Oregon Interfaith Health Justice Campaign
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon has launched the Oregon Interfaith Health Justice Campaign (OIHJC)—a joint project of EMO along with the Archimedes Movement and Oregon Action. The Campaign is made up of a diverse group of Oregonians united by our belief in the inherent dignity of every human life. The God-given dignity that we affirm in each other creates a responsibility for individuals and society to foster health and wholeness in each other and to care for each other in times of sickness or injury. We envision a health care system that provides affordable, high quality medical care to everyone in Oregon and the United States. This care should not be rationed on the basis of wealth, but offered on the basis of our equal human dignity.
Translating the ideals of our faith into social action is not always easy. Issues related to health and wellness and our health care system are complex. The Interfaith Health Justice Campaign has developed the following tools to help people of faith better understand these complexities and enhance our collective advocacy efforts to create health care systems that serve all of God’s people equitably:
- Regional forums will bring together a diverse group of Oregon’s health reform experts to dialogue with participants about health reform issues.
- A health reform policy guide and other Web and print resources that equip Oregonians with an in-depth understanding of health reform and next steps of advocacy for a just health system.
- Action alerts will urge advocates to voice their values to legislators at crucial times in the political process.
Health Care Reform is front and center in Congress and the media, and its direction will have an important effect on our communities. EMO’s Oregon Interfaith Health Justice Campaign is now scheduling interfaith community forums on health care reform that will help Oregonians understand how complex reform proposals will affect them. The forums will bring a region’s faith communities together to connect their religious values to the health care reform debate and to better understand how the health care system is affecting their community.
If your congregation is interested in hosting or participating in a forum, please contact EMO Public Policy Director Kevin Finney at kfinney@emoregon.org. This is a great opportunity to gather the diverse faith groups of your community around an issue that affects us all.
View our letter to Oregon Senators
To sign on to the letter, contact Kevin Finney with your name and congregation.
View useful resources for investigating and acting on Health Care Reform.
For any additional information, contact EMO Public Policy Director Kevin Finney at kfinney@emoregon.org or (503) 221-1054, ext. 204.
