Three years ago, Community Voices began as a national initiative to improve health care to the underserved. Roughly halfway through our original mission, it's important to look back at where we started and what work remains to be done. Much has been accomplished, and there is much more that remains to fill the gap in health care across the U.S.

Three years ago, few were talking very much about the problems of those without health insurance. Following the failure of White House and Congressional efforts to reach a health care reform approach, health care for the underserved was considered a risky political proposition. Fortunately, the fear of addressing this politically perplexing issue has dissipated. The American people know the health care system is not working for everyone. When we surveyed the American public, many described the health system as "critically ill." There are signs that the nation's leadership is listening.

Some progress includes:

*The enactment of the Children's Health Insurance Program.

*Congress is on the verge of passing major legislation to extend and expand protections for mental health coverage.

*Numerous state and local efforts aimed at improving safety net institutions.

There is much that remains to be accomplished. Last year, in the first-ever report by a U.S. Surgeon General on the subject, Dr. David Satcher described a "silent epidemic" of oral health disease in the U.S. Community Voices is helping to provide a national model to address this epidemic. On this website, we have added a section of Special Interests that describes in greater detail the roadmap each of our 13 communities is charting to help eradicate this epidemic. Affecting more children than asthma, we know improving oral health is an area that will require full national involvement.

As we have seen gaps in access to health care, we know it will take more than just financial resources to fill those gaps. It will take people. As more attention is being given to shortages of health care professionals, it's important to recognize the growing diversity of our nation. In order to make the health care system inclusive of all, our health care professionals need to reflect the fabric of our ever more diverse national quilt. This is more than just the right thing to do, it's the only way to have all Americans receive the highest level of care and to feel they have a stake and relationship with those who provide them with care.

The road ahead will require the nation to find creative solutions to improve the condition of our health care system. New ideas will need to be tested in order to find out what works and what does not. Community Voices will continue to try new ideas and new solutions at the local level and to give voice to those ideas to our leaders nationally.

We are in a period of time in this nation in which we urgently search for spiritual and physical renewal. The path ahead is uncertain. But one thing is clear. We must make more space at the table for serving the needs of all people. By doing so, we can do much to alleviate the separation of people by class, ability to pay, or any other characteristics. This will help to insure a healthier and more humane tomorrow that is one in spirit and in action.

Please return to this site regularly to learn more about Community Voices.