Advocacy Initiative Program
This is a comprehensive advocacy program established to provide a legislative liaison for The Free Clinic to the Ohio General Assembly, Congress, executive branch agencies, corporate and business community leaders, civic leaders, non-profit organizations and the public.
The Free Clinic's commitment to advocacy is recognized in its mission statement:
To provide quality health care and related services free of charge to those who lack appropriate alternatives, and to advocate for policy changes that make health care available to all.
Advocacy gives patients a voice in health care policy on a local, state, and national level and advocacy secures government funding sources to support, sustain, and expand the clinical programs at The Free Clinic.
The advocacy priorities and strategies of The Free Clinic are determined collaboratively by the Executive Director, the Advocacy Committee, the Board of Trustees, and the Director of External Relations. The overriding goal of The Free Clinic’s advocacy program remains constant: to preserve and expand health care funding and clinical programs for the benefit of those who would not otherwise have access to primary care and to promote policy changes that makes health care available to all. Advocacy requires strong relationships with key elected and appointed government officials, education and outreach, local and national visibility, and collaborative participation in local, statewide, and national coalitions of non-profit organizations which share common goals.
The Free Clinic is an active participant in the advocacy work of the Ohio Association of Free Clinics, the National Association of Free Clinics, Have a Heart Ohio, the Campaign to Protect Ohio’s Future, the Ohio Family Coverage Coalition, Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage, the Mental Health Advocacy Coalition, and the Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio.
Advocacy achievements that support the work of The Free Clinic include securing $1+ million in biennium funding from the Uncompensated Care Programs of Ohio’s Public Priorities Trust Fund, creation of the Ohio Medical Liability Insurance Reimbursement Program that provides a state subsidy for free clinic medical liability insurance premiums, and the creation of legislation which allows free clinics to purchase discounted medications through the State of Ohio.
To learn more about health care policy issues that affect the uninsured read The Free Clinic News Letter "Vital Signs" and/or click on the links below:
To learn more about health care policy and advocacy:
- Ohio Association of Free Clinics: www.ohiofreeclinics.org
- National Association of Free Clinics: www.freeclinics.us
- Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio (OHCAN Ohio): www.uhcanohio.org
- Mental Health Advocacy Coalition: www.mentalhealthadvocacy.org
- Health Policy Institute of Ohio: www.healthpolicyohio.org
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