2021: A Year in Review
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
  • Programs
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • Mental Health Advocacy
      • BIPOC Mental Health Grant
      • Growing Communities of Inclusion: A Faithful Response to HIV
      • Citizen Science
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Criminal Justice
    • Immigrant Rights
    • Public Education
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
  • Events
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

Healthcare is a Justice Issue

Chris Pernell, Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness · May 9, 2022 · Leave a Comment

May 2022 may be the first time in my 57 years that I’ve deeply appreciated the arrival of spring. Yes, spring officially began in March but it was still a little cold and dark. April brought warm days and the beauty of the early flowers, along with our annual blanket of pollen. This May as new growth is all around us, I feel hope stirring through all the heaviness in our communities and our world. It is with hope that I appeal to you to continue with us in the decades long work of the Council seeking the realization of healthcare as a human right. 

As director of the Partners in Health and Wholeness program, I am humbled every day by the work of faith communities across North Carolina. You have always been what we now call “essential workers” as you provided food, clothing, and financial support to the people most impacted by the pandemic. You sat in parking lots and helped children connect to their schools through your broadband connections. You set up virtual services when that was a new concept for many, because you understood the desperate need for spiritual connection. And, over 200 of you answered our call when our state needed places to administer life saving vaccinations. We were inspired by you and it kept us striving for ways to support your work in new ways.

Those of us involved in healthcare in NC know the COVID pandemic didn’t cause the healthcare system to falter, it laid bare the inequities that have existed all along. Together we have done and will continue to do good work to fill in the gaps but those gaps are widening quickly. Health metrics, including the average lifespan, are going in the wrong direction.

With your support, we will work to achieve equitable health outcomes for all of our families, friends, and communities. Some of our initiatives include:

  • Advocating for the expansion of Medicaid in NC. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid eligibility in 2014. NC is one of only 12 states that have chosen not to expand. This one policy will ensure access to primary care to over 600,000 North Carolinians.
  • Pushing back on the misinformation campaign about the cost and the benefits of 
  • universal healthcare. The US joins South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and China in not having a universal healthcare system.
  • Eliminating the racist and failed war on drugs that have done nothing but result in the highest rates of deaths by unintentional overdose. Overdose deaths among our youth have almost doubled in the past two years.
  • Eliminate the stigma and shame around seeking mental health care.

Ensuring that each and every one of God’s people has access to and can afford quality healthcare is a justice issue. We stand firmly behind the example of Jesus, who did more healing than preaching throughout his ministry. 

As people of faith and conscience, we pledge to act to ensure there is equity in one of the most basic human needs. Please join us by contributing your time to learn more and become involved in this work, by considering a financial contribution to the work as you are able and led, and with your prayers and encouragement for all the people working to improve healthcare access in NC. Click here to donate.

Filed Under: Blog, Homepage Featured Tagged With: Health, Healthcare Reform

About Chris Pernell, Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness

Chris is a native Kentuckian and the daughter of missionary parents who served Eastern Kentucky for more than 40 years. She relocated to North Carolina in 1981 and has come to call NC home. Prior to coming to the Council, she spent several years in corporate America before joining a faith-based, nonprofit medical clinic serving the uninsured and under-served of Franklin County. Chris is excited to be a part of the Council’s PHW program where she can utilize her background in health care and service. She and her husband have two children, a cat, a dog, and a surprisingly friendly bearded dragon. In her free time, Chris enjoys reading, basketball, and traveling, especially to the mountains.

Reader Interactions

More Like This

Bolstering Local Economies & Food Access: Faith Communities & Farmers of Color
A Faith-Focused Suicide Prevention Training for All
Show Your Heart Some Love this February

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

Healthcare is a Justice Issue

Latest Tweets

Since redistricting affects who is elected to governmental bodies, the decisions about boundaries also affect policies these bodies enact. Anyone who cares about the way laws affect communities should care about this. Learn more #2022CriticalIssues bit.ly/3KZgi7z @scsj pic.twitter.com/sls7…

About 4 days ago

Through the assistance of @CarterCenter, Jennifer Roberts & Bob Orr are assembling a cross-partisan network of respected North Carolinians advocating for adherence to democratic & civic values in NC elections. Learn more & register: bit.ly/3KZgi7z #2022CriticalIssues pic.twitter.com/dCTl…

About 2 weeks ago

RT @healthactionnc Help us keep Medicaid expansion in the spotlight by joining our letter to the editor campaign. Never written an LTE before? No problem, register for our Action Hour and get all the tools you will need! bit.ly/MedExActionHo… twitter.com/healthac…

About 2 weeks ago

Our Democracy is being threatened more than ever and together we can learn the facts, educate ourselves, and preserve our democracy and protect it from those who would cause it harm. Join us for #2022CriticalIssues every day starting May 23 until May 27. bit.ly/3KZgi7z pic.twitter.com/NKKl…

About 2 weeks ago

RT @NcAging May is #OlderAmericansMonth and this year's theme is #AgeMyWay. The theme is a reminder for us to reflect on our own desires as we age, as well as, explore creative solutions for older adults to remain involved and included in our communities. Join us in celebrating this month.🎉 pic.twitter.com/Lb7L…

About 2 weeks ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

RT @FaithCompassWFU Consider becoming an HIV & Faith Ambassador! To learn more, plan to join us for a virtual information session on 05/18 at 2 PM, 06/30 at 2 PM, or on 07/20 at 11 AM, all EST. Register now: bit.ly/FaithAmbInfo #faithandHIV #faithcompassWFU #transformthestory pic.twitter.com/oZo7…

About 3 days ago

Join us now Attorney General Josh Stein for a virtual conversation, “A Faith-Based harm Reduction Approach to the Opioid Crisis.” youtube.com/watch?v=…

About 2 weeks ago

RT @NCAGO Join Attorney General @JoshStein_ today at 1 p.m. for a discussion on a faith-based harm reduction approach to the opioid crisis with representatives of Olive Branch Ministries. Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webi… pic.twitter.com/XB05…

About 2 weeks ago

Register here! #phw #MentalHealthAwareness ncchurches.ourpowerb… pic.twitter.com/VTN7…

About 2 weeks ago

Please Join Us! ncchurches.ourpowerb… pic.twitter.com/KG6o…

About 2 weeks ago

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @interfaithpower North Carolina congregations with @NCIPL are taking advantage of their utility's solar panel rebate program to save on their lighting and space heating and cooling costs. #Faiths4Climate #EarthWeek twitter.com/PNS_NC/s…

About 3 weeks ago

RT @scennetwork1 This past weekend, Alexander Easdale, our Executive Director, attended the Fight for Our Future rally in Washington D.C. to advocate for climate action! Read more about this event here and see if you can spot our SCEN T-shirts in one of the pictures: nytimes.com/2022/04/… pic.twitter.com/5voq…

About 3 weeks ago

RT @interfaithpower 2 DAYS TO WEBINAR! with Christi Cooper, the filmmaker of this year’s featured film, YOUTH v GOV, and two young plaintiffs from the film - Nathan Baring and Miko Vergun. April 27 at 4:30pm Pacific /7:30pm Eastern. Register here: bit.ly/YvG_IPL @youthvgov @youthvgovfilm pic.twitter.com/HC3b…

About 3 weeks ago

RT @interfaithpower IPL invites you to pray for the Earth during Earth Week. Today pray along with Rev Dr Gerald Durley, IPL Chair of the board. Hop on over to IPL's FB to view. New prayers posted daily during Earth Week #Faiths4Climate #prayer #prayfortheearth #EarthWeek pic.twitter.com/lBz1…

About 3 weeks ago

RT @interfaithpower “I think folk recognize that being stewards of creation is part of our baptismal identity and purpose in the world,” he said afterward. “We can’t do everything, but we can do something. This is one thing we can do.” #Faiths4Climate @NCIPL twitter.com/SEenergy…

Last month

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2022 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine