Monday, April 21 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | John P. Murtha Center, Pitt-Johnstown campus
This community-focused advocacy forum will be held at the John P. Murtha Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
The forum will bring together experts and stakeholders to discuss the local impact of federal funding cuts to Medicaid, particularly on vulnerable populations and essential services. Featuring voices from healthcare, education, and other important viewpoints, the discussion will shed light on the often-overlooked ways Medicaid funding supports our communities and foster a deeper understanding of how the loss of this funding would affect the region.
The panel will be moderated by Chip Minemyer, publisher of The Tribune-Democrat. Panel participants include:
- James J. Cook, FACHE, has served as the executive director of Cambria Residential Services since 1984. A fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives, Cook holds a master’s degree in public health and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He has had leadership roles in intellectual disability and behavioral health services for 40 years, and is an honorary board member of the Rehabilitation Community Providers Association of Pennsylvania.
- Rosalie Danchanko has served as executive director of the Highlands Health Clinic, which provides medical care to uninsured and underinsured people, for 12 years. She is also the founder of Victim Services in Cambria and Somerset Counties.
- Jeannine McMillan is the executive director of the Center for Population Health, a population health resource center that works to prevent disease, reduce health disparities, and improve the overall health and well-being of Cambria and Somerset counties. She has worked in public health for the past 16 years, previously serving as manager of strategic planning for Conemaugh Health System.
- Karen Struble Myers has served as president and CEO of the United Way of the Southern Alleghenies since March 2020, where she is responsible for the planning, organization, development, and execution of the United Way’s strategic and operational tactics to meet key health and human services needs in Blair, Cambria, and Somerset Counties. She has spent more than 25 years in the nonprofit sector in a variety of leadership roles.
- Jason Rilogio is an advocate for mental health and substance use recovery. He is a regional delegate for the Cambria County Community Support Program, co-chair of the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Planning Council, and a voting member of the Cambria County Drug and Alcohol Program. In recovery himself, Rilogio is a certified community health worker and is organizing the town hall on April 17.
The event is being planned by the newly-formed group Locals for Good (LFG) in cooperation with Pitt-Johnstown American Democracy Scholar Program.