Healthcare Ballot Initiatives and Advocacy
Community Action Michigan is a Michigan advocacy organization that sponsors city charter ballot initiatives designed to create local Citizens' Advisory Healthcare Action Committees.
Citizens' Advisory Healthcare Action Committees
Community Action Michigan's primary initiative proposes amending city charters to create Citizens' Advisory Healthcare Action Committees. If approved by voters, these committees are required to meet every two years and produce a Healthcare Action Plan that assesses healthcare affordability, accessibility, and insurance coverage in each city, and evaluates how policies at all levels of government affect residents.
Healthcare Action Plans
Each proposed Healthcare Action Plan must be developed by the Citizens' Action Committee and presented to the relevant city body on a biennial schedule. The committees are also required to hold multiple public forums each year to gather first-hand accounts from community members about their ability to afford and access healthcare.
Petition and Ballot Process
Community Action Michigan collects voter signatures to place city charter amendments on local ballots. In Lansing, the organization submitted 7,385 signatures—exceeding the minimum of 4,433 required. Similar petition drives have been conducted in Kalamazoo, Portage, Battle Creek, East Lansing, and Benton Harbor.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Healthcare Action Plan under Community Action Michigan's initiative?
A Healthcare Action Plan is a biennial report produced by a city's Citizens' Advisory Healthcare Action Committee that assesses local healthcare affordability, accessibility, and the impact of government policies, and makes recommendations to city leadership.
How does Community Action Michigan place initiatives on the ballot?
Community Action Michigan gathers voter signatures on city charter amendment petitions; once a required threshold is met—for example, 4,433 signatures in Lansing—the proposal qualifies for inclusion on the city's election ballot.
What are Citizens' Advisory Healthcare Action Committees required to do?
These committees are required to hold multiple public community forums each year, compile healthcare data, assess policy impacts, and issue a biennial Healthcare Action Plan with recommendations to city officials.