Press Releases
Doctors, nurses and other direct caregivers providing services in state facilities joined fellow caregivers in the private sector and community organizations to call for major investments in public services in a statewide symposium.
The New England Health Care Employees Union, SEIU1199NE, released the “Expand Services to Save Lives” legislative agenda with partner organizations Recovery For All, Transitions Clinic, CSEA, Connecticut Worker Center, The 4Cs, the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition, NASW, Building Trades, NAMI, CT Legal Rights Project, and Regulate DOC.
“Public sector safety net healthcare services exist to make sure no one – regardless of race, gender, zip code, immigration status, or insurance coverage – is turned away from the lifesaving care they need. Austerity policies, privatization and attrition have downsized critical public services – creating a staffing emergency across state agencies and major gaps in services that Connecticut’s most vulnerable residents rely on,” states the agenda published Thursday.
The State of Connecticut needs to hire more than 1,000 health care providers in the public sector just to restore services to previous levels of care. Many more are needed in the state ranks to expand services and build a robust and proactive healthcare system.
With billions of dollars in additional funding available, the State of Connecticut is ready to make these investments and raise sufficient revenue to give everyone access to humane healthcare treatment and opportunities to thrive.
Click below for our symposium website and related content, to be updated as the legislative session continues. You will also find in this website the “Expand Services to Save Lives” legislative agenda.
Special guest participants included Emily Wang, MD, MAS, Yale Professor of Medicine (General Medicine) and of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Director, SEICHE Center for Health and Justice; Christine Stuart, Journalist, CT News Junkie; and Enid Rey, Esq., Brave Consulting Solutions
Additional guest panelists and supporters for the symposium included Sen. Saud Anwar, MD, direct caregivers providing services at DCF, DDS, DSS, DOC, DMHAS, and DPH; CT Voices for Children, Planned Parenthood, NAMI Connecticut, Connecticut Legal Rights Project, YWCA, Transitions Clinic Network, and NHFT.
Videos of today’s event are available below
Symposium morning session and 1st panel
Symposium afternoon session and 2nd panel
SEIU District 1199NE, the New England Health Care Employees Union, represents over 25,000 caregivers in Connecticut and some 4,000 in Rhode Island. Historically known as “1199” going back to the Civil Rights Movement, we are a bold, democratic Union with a long activist tradition fighting for racial and economic justice to improve the lives of Black, Latina, APII and white working-class communities.
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Media Contact: Pedro Zayas, pzayas@seiu1199ne.org, 860-830-2478
District 1199, SEIU, New England Health Care Employees Union
