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Dr. Avenel Joseph

@draveneljoseph.bsky.social
257 followers 199 following 155 posts

Bringing data and heart to #HealthEquity. Vice President of Policy @rwjf.org‬, Mom, traveler, foodie. (she/her)

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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
New from @datahistorian.bsky.social at Can We Still Govern?: The Trump administration's "radical proposal" to alter the Census would add a citizenship question, exclude non-citizens for Congressional calculations, and remove questions about race/ethnicity. 🧵 donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-2030-c...
donmoynihan.substack.com
The 2030 Census is in Trouble
Trump wants to add a citizenship question and ban questions on race
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities @centeronbudget.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This week at CBPP, we focused on health, housing, the economy, food assistance, and the federal budget. www.cbpp.org/blog/in-case...
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Great news - thanks for sharing evidence-backed information about this.
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
ryan cooper @ryanlcooper.com · 28/08/2026
we've got a reporter on the ground in Gary, Indiana where an impoverished minority community went without power for 2+ weeks. the climate future is here, it's just unevenly distributed prospect.org/2026/08/28/g...
prospect.org
Gary, Indiana, Is America’s Latest Climate Victim - The American Prospect
This community has already faced structural racism and disinvestment. A two-week blackout unleashed a humanitarian disaster.
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
National Immigration Law Center @nilc.org · 10/08/2026
🚨SHARE WIDELY🚨 Essential safety tips & know your rights information for immigrants traveling through U.S. airports: bit.ly/4hR5Kuo
bit.ly
Community Alert: Immigration Arrests at Airports
This resource provides travel safety tips and other resources for immigrants traveling through U.S. airports.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Thank you to every person who is refusing to let this rewriting of our history to serve a political agenda happen under the radar. Librarians for the win, always.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
We need a healthcare system that actually works for all of us.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Say it louder for the people in the back!
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
As parents we don't have time to become medical experts on top of everything we’re juggling. But without trusted health leaders, parents have been left out to dry. I wrote for Motherly about how hard it is for parents now to know what's right for their child’s health: mother.ly/health-welln...
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
THIS is what standing up to the shredding of our healthcare system looks like: 25 states sued the federal government over their recent, extremely narrow definition of medical frailty, which will cause eligible people to lose Medicaid coverage. apnews.com/article/medi...
apnews.com
Democrats in half of states sue Trump administration over Medicaid work rules
Democrats in 25 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration over its interpretation of new Medicaid work requirements.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
⚠️This is what authoritarianism looks like. Just recently, the FBI raided an Ohio voter rights group in a deliberate attack to keep us from voting. Intimidating those who help people register to vote is dangerous for democracy. All of our votes matter. bit.ly/4gdffUc
ms.now
FBI raids Ohio voting rights organization
Sources tell MS NOW that agents also fanned out across the state, showing up at staff members’ homes.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
.@democracyforward.org does such a great job fighting the good fight for healthcare. It’s such a relief to see a win on this front.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Building that trust with communities can’t happen if research funding is cut! I love these signs.
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
APHA @apha.org · 10/06/2026
Key takeaways: • We won’t find common ground with everyone but we do need innovative coalitions to meet our goals Featuring @whyshoulditrustyou.bsky.social.
Photo of the panel, Finding Common Ground. From left to right: Brinda Adhikari, "Why Should I Trust You?" Podcast; Jacqueline Capriotti, Victory Garden Alliance Foundation and Health Revolution USA; Avenel Joseph, PhD, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Jennifer Messenger, BA, SEVP, Metropolitan Group
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Yes! The erasure of this data is more than an inconvenience, it hides the important needs of many AAPI communities. Strong data helps us catch problems before they get serious!
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
How many of us were told not to give people in need cash because they’ll spend it on bad things? What an ugly myth. I’m glad to see people countering it with strong evidence.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
⛔Doing yardwork at home: Terrible, exhausting ✅Working in a community garden: Fun! Energizing! Some of the @rwjf.org Policy Team recently volunteered at Capital Area Food Bank’s garden, and I am still thinking about our beautiful day. Times are tough, but community is the best antidote to apathy.
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
drtiffanymanuel.bsky.social @drtiffanymanuel.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
This bears repeating...
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Policy can open doors, and policy can slam them shut. The Voting Rights Act opened doors for Black voters. Thanks for sharing this.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Cannot believe it’s been 10 years. What a powerful album in every way.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
As healthcare gets harder and harder for people to afford following the Medicaid and ACA premium tax credits cuts, more people will be turning to AI for health advice. We need to curb medical misinformation - it’s dangerous.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
As a mother to young kids, and one of the sandwich generation, I know how hard it is to work full time and take care of a family. Kids and families deserve better. Just one more reason to restore Medicaid. time.com/article/2026/04/12/medicai…
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Medicaid keeps us ALL healthier - not just those covered by the program. Covering preventive, life-saving, and long-term care for 70M people, Medicaid keeps entire communities healthy and keeps hospitals open so we all can access care. Read the new roundup from RWJF: rwjf.ws/medicaidroundup
rwjf.ws
Insurance for a Healthier Future: How Medicaid Supports Us All
This research roundup highlights evidence on how Medicaid benefits everyone and policy recommendations that states can take to protect coverage and access to care.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
The evidence could not be more clear that midwives keep moms and babies safer by making care more accessible, and more inclusive. Thank you for fighting for them, and for the moms of Georgia!
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
There’s a chance for states to get ahead of the confusion and set people up as best they can for the bureaucratic battle that is work reporting requirements. Thanks for this resource, Joan.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Coming at you this #BlackMaternalHealthWeek with some exciting reproductive justice events and happenings: ❤️ 👨🏿‍👩🏾‍👧🏾‍
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
You’ve probably heard that the SAVE Act would be disastrous for voting rights for married women who’ve changed their names. But there are SO many other groups at risk. Policymakers need to defend the right to vote. This article inspired me to make this list. Who am I missing?
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Really beautiful words from @drtiffanymanuel.bsky.social.
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
Edwin Park @edwincpark.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
H/T to @davidmwessel.bsky.social for flagging new @brookings.edu research from @davidmcutler.bsky.social & Lev Klarnet. One of the goals of the ACA was to help slow growth in health care costs systemwide. They find lower-than-projected costs between 2010-2024 (1/2): www.brookings.edu/articles/has...
Graph showing lower health care spending between 2010-2024 compared to original projections.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
This is beautiful. People so steadfastly being there for each other is how I know we’ll get through all of this.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Government functions better with a base level of trust among the people it serves. We’ve seen trust in our government eroding, and actions like the waves of ICE agents intimidating communities have exponentially sped up that erosion. 19thnews.org/2026/02/teachers-stude…
19thnews.org
The people standing between students and ICE? Teachers.
With immigration enforcement keeping kids from class, educators are going beyond the curriculum — driving students to school, delivering groceries and even paying rent to support vulnerable families.
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities @centeronbudget.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Black workers and Black households disproportionately faced employment hardships in 2025 due to changes in the economy, namely a result of the Trump Administration's direct targeting of the federal government, CBPP's @gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social explains. Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUsD...
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
This is what missed potential looks like. Every single state’s poverty rate would decrease by at least TWENTY percent if our safety net programs were reaching everyone who qualifies. S/o to @urbaninstitute.bsky.social for running these numbers. apps.urban.org/features/sta...
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Really inspired to see policymakers in Wisconsin who fought to pass an extension of Medicaid postpartum coverage, a bipartisan effort that required real determination. I am so happy for everyone in Wisconsin who will benefit from this expansion. ccf.georgetown.edu/2026/02/27/w...
ccf.georgetown.edu
Wisconsin Passes 12-Month Postpartum Medicaid Extension, Leaving Arkansas as the Last State Without It
About a third of maternal deaths occur between one week and one year postpartum. The American Rescue Plan Act provided states with the option to extend postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage from 60 da...
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
We’re ONE state away from expanded Medicaid postpartum for new moms across the whole country.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Kansas just passed a law revoking the valid IDs of trans Kansans. In a state that requires photo ID to vote, that means thousands of people could be blocked from the ballot box. This is exactly what voter suppression looks like. kansasreflector.com/2026/03/04/k...
kansasreflector.com
Kansas anti-trans law targets IDs and birth certificates — and the right to vote • Kansas Reflector
A particularly troubling consequence of SB 244 is its threat to transgender Kansans’ ability to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
There is so much evidence cash assistance is good policy. I hope to see more states implement their own programs.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
I would say that this gap in funding is laughable, but it’s so unfunny what this will mean for people in Ohio and much of rural America.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
“Fraud” has become a blanket excuse to chop any program or benefit the administration dislikes. Accusations of widespread fraud are a repeated, unsubstantiated lie used to steal life-saving programs from people. thehill.com/opinion/fina...
thehill.com
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
What Joan said.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
That quote from Adriana Smith’s mother that Jessica shares is haunting and heartbreaking. We should all sit with her mother’s words. I’m thinking about Adriana Smith today and always.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
THIS is the kind of thing we need our government to fix when it comes to our health care system - rather than slapping deep Medicaid cuts on exaggerated, made up problems.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Medicaid cuts are at the core of rising health insurance costs for EVERYONE. Here’s how:
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
Mona Shah @mona-shah.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
In honor of National Maternal Health Day I’d like to lift up the Maternal Near Miss Study by Morehouse School of Medicine’s Center for Maternal Health Equity. The study uplifts Black women’s “near miss” stories to identify preventable failures and guide policy to save lives.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
So deeply frustrating. Last year we saw this same tactic used to make major cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. It’s completely disingenuous.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
This is fascinating for the wrong reasons. Rarely have I seen California and Texas light up the same color on a data map, and in this case it’s because their rural residents are both getting the short end of the stick when it comes to federal funding …
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
States are in such a tough position right now. To all the state government workers trying to prevent as many people as possible from losing their health insurance: Thank you.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Now that we’re in 2026, I want to resurface this calendar of incoming cuts. One of the most unfair, unwise recent changes is the failure of Congress to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits, which will make healthcare unaffordable for so many.
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Dr. Avenel Joseph @draveneljoseph.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
A lot of people are making healthcare decisions around this time of year. We need to name why the process is extra stressful this year: Cuts to Medicaid and the failure to renew the ACA premium tax credits.
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Reposted by Dr. Avenel Joseph
Larry Levitt @larrylevitt.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
One of the challenges in explaining the impact of enhanced ACA tax credits expiring on premium payments is that it varies so much, depending on income, age, family size, and geography. The average increase would be 114%, or $1,016, but there is a wide range.
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