By Noah Fern

The newest CaHPSA chapter is up and running at California State University, Chico. In the four months since the initial contact at CSU, Chico was made, a core group of students there has shown the level of support for healthcare justice that exists on college campuses throughout California. A few interested students from such diverse fields as Biology, Nursing, Political Science, Philosophy and others, linked up with PNHP members in Chico to work out a plan to bring more students into this movement. In September, the President of the Chico Chapter, Noah Ferns, presented to PNHP and community members at a Butte County Health Care Coalition meeting on how to more effectively coordinate with the students. PNHP members in attendance quickly jumped at the opportunity to support student activities and are a large part of the early successes of the Chico CaHPSA chapter.

The PNHP Chico chapter has been instrumental in building an interest among the students at CSU, Chico. Matching the students’ passion for social justice and human rights issues with PNHP members’ knowledge of healthcare reform and experience as healthcare advocates has proven to be a successful working relationship. PNHP members spoke at CaHPSA meetings and during class presentations and found a large amount of support for real health reform on campus, but a huge lack of knowledge on the facts. CaHPSA officers reached out to and connected with pre-medical and nursing associations on campus as well as other organizations not traditionally associated with CaHPSA, including Latino and environmental groups.

On November 15th, The CaHPSA chapter held its first successful healthcare forum. Local PNHP members including David Welch, RN and Aldebra Schroll, MD spoke about the atrocities of the current healthcare system, what Single-Payer is and why they as health care providers support the movement. This event attracted nearly 50 students to learn about the movement for single-payer health reform in California and how they can get involved. Plans are underway for a benefit concert in late December to raise money to send Chico State students to Lobby Day on January 8-9. The Chico Chapter and PNHP members in the area will continue their strong working relationship next semester with a number of outreach events as well as a comprehensive forum on healthcare reform. The successful collaboration in Chico during the past few months has served as a great example for single-payer activists, young and old, to work together to bring healthcare justice for all to California.