CISWH News: Partnership with Vot-ER Promotes Civic Health
This Civic Health Month, the Center for Innovation for Social Work and Health (CISWH) at BUSSW has partnered with Vot-ER in a nationwide effort to promote civic engagement – an essential component of individual and community health.
Excerpt from “CISWH Promotes Civic Health with Vot-ER” (CISWH News):
The COVID-19 pandemic bared the ugly truth about the inequities in our country, especially as it relates to the health of individuals and certain communities in our country. Long before health authorities cast COVID-19 as a pandemic of the unvaccinated, the crisis illuminated the fragility of life for those families without stable housing, adequate food, or ready access to health care,” stated Eleanor Zambrano, executive director of CISWH, and Kristina Whiton-O’Brien (SSW’95), director of partnerships for Vot-ER.
“Civic health engagement means we all participate in the decision-making process that shapes the health and social policy systems that impact us all. If a community has strong civic health, it can be more resilient in times of crisis,” they continued.
Social Work & Civic Health
Social workers are stewards in healthcare and focus on addressing the social complexities of health. The field’s principles focus on self-determination and building bridges for communities and health. By taking an active role in promoting civic health engagement, social workers can directly reduce health disparities in U.S. communities. Research has shown that communities with strong civic health experience higher life expectancies, better employment rates, improved schools and revitalized neighborhoods.
Taking Action
In their article, the leaders made clear that “right now, we have an opportunity, and a critical window of time, to rethink how we tackle social factors that influence health — from employment to housing — before the next global emergency strikes. Doctors, nurses, social workers, and other care providers are perfectly positioned to help patients take a key step in uplifting their own health through voter registration. We are calling on all health care professionals nationwide to take an active role in registering your patients to vote.” […]