Chris here: you may remember that in May 2019, UCSF was pressured into suspending its negotiations to form an umbrella partnership with Dignity Health, where medical care is limited by the Ethical and Religious Directives and other teachings of the Catholic Church. UC officials pulled together a task force to study / reopen the issue, which produced a report in record time, yielding a split decision, with an administrative majority favoring expanding affiliations with Dignity Health.
This letter, co-authored by one of the faculty members of the task force, Vanessa Jacoby, has informational links and a request to support Option 2, no affiliations with Dignity Health and similar health care providers, by sending a public comment to the UC Regents.
Dear Colleagues and Community,
This week, the University of California (UC) released a report with request for public comments (sample text below) that considers whether UC should affiliate with religious hospitals that prohibit basic reproductive health services for women and LGBT people.
The report describes OPTION 1, supported by UC Health, in which UC would expand affiliations with restrictive religious hospitals and OPTION 2, which we support, that prevents UC from affiliating with entities that discriminate against women and LGBT people by prohibiting contraception, abortion, assisted reproductive technology (eg IVF), and gender-affirming surgery for transgender people as outlined in this LA Times article and this letter to UC President Napolitano. Also consider UCI Law Prof. Goodwin’s assertion that it is illegal for UC to restrict care based on religious directives.
The UC Regents will take up this matter in May, but first they need to hear from you! Please post a public comment by February 21 (sample text below) to tell the Regents that you support OPTION 2 because UC doctors, nurses, and patients must not be subject to religious restrictions that deny women and LGBT people essential care. Share your story and why this issue is important to you.
Thank you for your engagement and support of our core UC values,
Vanessa Jacoby, MD, Lori Freedman, PhD, Dan Grossman, MD, Jody Steinauer, MD, PhD
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
University of California, San Francisco
i support option 2! that's it.
ReplyDeletethat comment was from Dylan Rodriguez, Chair of the UCR Division of the Senate
ReplyDelete