The Arc’s Operation House Call (OHC) and Hospital Training bills were heard on Thursday, July 6 in front of the Joint Committee on Public Health. These are The Arc’s priority health care equity bills.
Through testimony from medical students who have participated in the Operation House Call program, self-advocate co-teachers, family members, and OHC staff, the critical need for education through lived experience was clearly and powerfully addressed. The committee members were particularly impressed by OHC Ambassador Jonathan Gardner and OHC co-teacher Sam Kanji.
Our medical students from Harvard Medical School and UMass Chan Medical School spoke of OHC as one of the most impactful and needed courses in their curriculum.
Our Hospital Training bill, written in collaboration with the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, will provide needed standards of care and continuing education for practicing clinicians. Stories were shared of disparities in care and even death due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of autism.
If you want to help us pass these bills, please contact Maura Sullivan at Sullivan@arcmass.org.
You can learn more about Operation House call here and you can watch the replay of the hearing here.
