Newsletters

October / November 2022

Midterm Edition

From local Town Halls across Southern Indiana to getting out the vote in the Midterm election and taking action in Indianapolis, our leaders have been working hard this fall–and we’re having a real impact! By sharing our stories and building relationships with our neighbors, our Moms-led voter outreach program resulted in THE HIGHEST voter turnout of any state house district in Indiana this election. We know that when we take action together, more becomes possible in our state and the future becomes brighter for our families.

Building a New Voting Bloc for Hoosier Families

This fall, the Moms of Hoosier Action chapter set out on an ambitious project to create a new voting bloc of everyday people in the small town and rural areas in State House District 62 (HD 62). Over the past few months, leaders with the Moms of Hoosier Action contacted potential voters over 75,000 times, and had over 12,000 conversations about their values, and the need for family support and reproductive care.

Moms of Hoosier Action – HD62

Because Hoosier Action members like you texted, called, doorknocked, and worked hard to get potential voters and their family and friends out to the polls, the race is still too close to call and results are currently being recounted (with results being released the week of Dec. 20th)! In addition to outreach, a public Town Hall, hosted by the Moms of Hoosier Action, outlining the need for strong family support in the wake of the Indiana’s ban on abortion, as well as a candidate Q&A.

Transforming Crisis Response Care in Morgan County

Over 100 Morgan County residents including President Pro Tempore of the State Senate Rod Bray, Morgan County Commissioner Don Adams, and Morgan County Councilmember Melissa Greene joined the Morgan County Chapter of Hoosier Action on October 20th for a powerful Town Hall on the mental health crisis facing our community! At the event Hoosier Action leaders, first responders, and mental health professionals shared their stories and discussed the state of mental healthcare in Morgan County.

At the Town Hall, State Senator Rod Bray, Morgan County Commissioner Don Adams, and Morgan County Councilmember Melissa Greene shared some of their priorities and plans, including the potential for $250 million in additional state funding for mental and public health funding. We are asking legislators to prioritize the creation of wrap-around mental health services, so when Hoosiers call 988 they can receive the care they need. When Hoosiers are struggling with a mental health or addiction crisis, they should be able to call someone for help–not receive handcuffs. That’s why our Morgan County chapter is pushing for a mobile crisis response unit, highlighted in the local Reporter-Times.

You can support our efforts to win comprehensive wrap-around mental health services in Morgan County by signing our petition at https://www.hoosieraction.org/morganco

Fighting for Our Lives in the Ohio River Valley

The Ohio River Valley Chapter led a powerful Town Hall in New Albany on October 13th with their elected officials, responding as a community to the overdose crisis and highlighting the need for increased family support to combat deaths of despair. Over 100 community members, including City Council President Jason Applegate and State Rep. Ed Clere, listened as Hoosier Action leaders presented three evidence-based solutions to save lives, reduce harm, and end the overdose crisis: require all first responders to carry Narcan, equip at least 10 organizations with Narcan, and increase the number of syringe disposals.

Launching the 2023 Legislative Session:

Fighting to Fund Our Families

Organization Day at the Statehouse
Several leaders from the Greater Indiana Chapter participated in Organization Day at the Statehouse on November 22nd. Organization Day is when new and returning General Assembly members are sworn in to the state legislature. It is also the first opportunity organizations (and lobby groups) have to meet with their legislators in anticipation of the upcoming legislative session. For Hoosier Action, it was our first opportunity to share our 2023 Legislative Priorities and for many of our leaders, it was their first time visiting the Statehouse to speak with legislators and share their stories.

Urging Elevance to Put Care Over Cost

Several leaders from Hoosier Action joined over 70 leaders from the nationwide People’s Action network to participate in People’s Action Care Over Cost campaign training in Indianapolis on November 12th–14th. On Monday, Nov. 14th, they filled the lobby at Elevance Health Headquarters (formerly Anthem) in a direct action to demand they provide the care promised to their policyholders. Lane Fulton from the Greater IN Chapter shared his story during the action and had his op-ed published in the Indy Star highlighting their record $6.1 billion in profits is largely fueled by millions of denied claims.

Whatever our abilities, the color of our skin or the contents of our wallet all of us should be able to rely on the safety net when times are tough and when we would otherwise struggle to get and afford the care we all need. By threatening to remove the right to individual action, this case threatens to take away the right to justice from the most vulnerable amongst us. An estimated 87 million Americans will suffer if HHC persists with this case.

The organizations gathered together coordinated over 100,000 emails to members of the HHC Board, tens of thousands of petition signatures, aligned hundreds of organizations, and offered powerful testimony at HHC’s public board meetings.

Hoosier Action was at the City-County Building to ask that Mayor Joe Hogsett join the City-County Council and use all of his influence and power to push HHC to drop this case. HHC dropping the case is the only way to ensure the court does not rule against the interests of his constituents.

[Press Conference Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPkOnoZ8-Xc&t=1s]

Medicaid Survey

In preparation for the end of the public emergency, Hoosier Action continues to collect in-depth Medicaid survey responses through tabling at events, texting and outreach. If you qualify for and complete our Medicaid Survey, Hoosier Action will send you a $25 gift card via email within 10 days! To qualify to take the survey, you or a person you care for must have received or attempted to enroll in Indiana Medicaid, Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), Hoosier Care Connect, Hoosier Healthwise, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the last five years (since January 2018). Please email tracey@hoosieraction.org for the password to the survey.

Medicaid Tabling at the “Bless the Babies” Event in Indianapolis on 10/15/22
(L-R: Michelle Higgs, Tamara Harris, and Aubrey Kearney)

In the wake of the Indiana Supreme Court’s announcement that it plans to take up Indiana’s new abortion ban in 2023, Hoosier Action has released Unaccountable Harms: The Devastating Impacts of Indiana’s Special Session on Hoosier Moms and Families. This new report documents the widespread and overwhelmingly negative impact of Indiana’s 2022 special legislative session on Hoosier families should the abortion ban ever be fully implemented. It demonstrates that if fully implemented, Indiana’s abortion ban will hurt Hoosier families, resulting in more maternal death and illness and pushing more families deeper into poverty.

Fund Our Work

Our work would not be possible without contributions from Hoosiers like you. Dues-paying members fund and drive our work. Become a dues-paying member of Hoosier Action for just $5 a month to fund the future of Indiana!

Sign up today to become a monthly dues-paying member using the button below. Together, we can make Indiana a place where all Hoosiers, no matter their zip code or the color of their skin, can thrive.

Newsletter – October/November 2022