Publication
Medicaid enrollment can be a daunting process for many people—both U.S.-born New Yorkers and those who are foreign-born. It is even more challenging for those that don’t speak English, don’t have access to a computer, or those who do not understand the complicated health insurance system in the United States.
To better understand the difficulties that immigrants face when enrolling for Medicaid, we interviewed 20 immigrants from across New York State to uncover the challenges that may arise for these community members. To ensure a sample that engages a range of immigrant experiences, we interviewed New Yorkers from different countries, living in different parts of the state, and with different immigration statuses—including refugees, New Yorkers with Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), Victims of Criminal Activity (U-visa), and undocumented individuals, some of whom are eligible for state-funded Medicaid as “PRUCOLs” (Persons Residing Under Color of Law) or through emergency Medicaid.
Publication
As state budget discussions come to a close this month, New Jersey lawmakers and advocates alike should turn their attention to the ways that the American Rescue Plan (ARP) can complement the state’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget. The ARP, signed into law by President Biden in March, includes expansions to food assistance, housing support, unemployment benefits, tax credits for working families, and health coverage to ensure a full and strong recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Publication
- April 20, 2021
- Nicole Rodriguez
New Jersey does best when all residents can reach their full potential, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or neighborhood. This requires quality public education, safe and affordable housing, jobs that pay well, healthy places to live, reliable transportation, and assurance of just law enforcement practices, among other essentials. Yet many residents across the state still face persistent barriers, despite decades of progress. These disparities are particularly acute for people of color and women who face the compounding effects of racism and sexism. But by having a clearer idea of the challenges we face and where they manifest, we can better plan our efforts for policy advocacy.
Publication
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Alabama in March 2020, it didn’t just cause massive human suffering and economic disruption. It also revealed suffering and disruption that have long existed and that policymakers have long neglected – or even perpetuated.
COVID-19 has laid bare deep racial inequities in Alabama’s economy and social system that have left our state unprepared to meet the needs of its people in this disaster. As the workers predominantly on the front lines, women and people of color bore the brunt of the economic meltdown. They also simultaneously have suffered greater exposure to the virus that caused it.
Alabama has a weak safety net for struggling families and an approach to economic growth that all too often leaves workers underprotected and underpaid. This ongoing policy legacy has exacerbated the damage that the virus has wreaked on the state’s working people.
In The State of Working Alabama 2021, Alabama Arise explores COVID-19’s significant and negative impacts on the state’s workforce. We also look ahead to outline a state and federal policy agenda for repairing the damage – not by repeating the policy mistakes of the past, but by charting a new path toward a more equitable economy marked by broadly shared prosperity.