Health Equity

We are intentional about addressing barriers to healthcare that specific communities experience.

Immigrants, people of color, and Black people in particular experience disparities in health access and outcomes due to America’s legacy of structural racism as well as present-day systems and policies. Non-English speakers, people with disabilities and chronic conditions, rural residents, and people who are undocumented also face specific barriers to accessing healthcare. The Shriver Center drives efforts to improve and expand access to dental, vision, and mental health care for these communities, care which is critical to people’s ability to work, learn in school, and experience a good quality of life.

We are on the front lines of the national fight to eradicate discrimination in health care as steering members of the Protect Our Care, Protecting Immigrant Families, and Healthy Illinois Campaign coalitions and work in collaboration with community-based groups, health-care providers, and other advocacy organizations to challenge discriminatory federal policies.

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Our Insights

To Ensure Healthy Communities, We Must Invest in Dental Care

Oral health matters in the fight for racial and economic justice.

Cruel “Public Charge” Proposal Would Drive Immigrant Families Further into the Shadows

Under this inhumane new standard, immigration officials could turn away immigrants who have received assistance from a variety of safety net programs.