Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute

06/20/2026

Healthy families are the foundation of strong communities. When nearly half struggle to afford health care, that's a crisis that requires immediate action.

We need:
🧑‍⚕️ Quality, affordable, and continuous health insurance coverage
🕛️ Time to care for self and family
🍅 Nutritious food in every community
🛑 Consumer protections that prevent a medical bill from becoming a financial downward spiral

In this brief, we examine difficulties affording health care among families of working-age adults (i.e., those ages 18 to 64) using December 2025 data from t…

06/18/2026

She's retiring, but not really! Highlighting another ⭐️ new member ⭐️ of the Institute's advisory council.

🤩 Deb Fisher joined in 2023 as a research associate, engaging with Hoosiers through interviews and focus groups on a wide range of topics. She enjoys connecting with others because she also have a story for everything. As a young woman, she was a wife and a foster and adoptive mom taking care of babies. At age 49, driven by a love of learning, she decided to go back to school and in doing so, opened a whole new life. As a member of the first cohort of Ronald McNair Scholars at IUPUI, she learned how to conduct research and present data. She earned a Master's Degree, joined the Grassroots Maternal and Child Health Initiative, and served as a family interviewer for the Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

Policy interests: Social justice, betterment for all of our populations at risk, maternal and child health, debt protections, and health care access

06/18/2026

Who else is a ⭐️ new member ⭐️ of our advisory council?

🤩 Carlie Dunn is a social justice advocate with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work and a background in research, survivor advocacy, and community engagement. Her work has included supporting individuals impacted by domestic violence and substance use while examining the systemic barriers that contribute to poverty and instability.

Policy interests: Social work, social justice, domestic violence, and addressing systemic barriers contributing to poverty

06/17/2026

😩 So disappointing when UTILITIY AFFORDABILITY is currently the 🔝 issue we are hearing about from Hoosiers.

Not the best news if you’re an AES Indiana customer: the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has approved the AES Indiana rate increase. “Residential ratepayers will bear the brunt of this increase which is contrary to Gov. Mike Braun's stated priority of more affordable utility bills.” —Ben Inskeep, CAC Program Director

06/17/2026

We recently welcomed several ⭐️new members⭐️ to our advisory council. Let's introduce them!

🤩 Oriana Fuenmayor from Indianapolis is a first-generation immigrant, asylum-seeker, and service-oriented young professional with a passion for social and environmental justice, equity and human dignity. She graduated with degrees in Political Science and Global & International Studies from IU Indianapolis. Her background includes working in legal services, education, and nonprofit organizations. She has lived experience with the many barriers facing poor and working-class families, especially those who are noncitizens. Her long-term goal is to become a public interest attorney and support initiatives that enhance the well-being of our communities.

Policy interests: Legal barriers to justice, community well-being

06/16/2026

Olivia is on the road representing at the Fair Tax Summit in Detroit this week because tax policy is people policy.

06/14/2026

Thank you, The Journal Gazette Editorial Board, for calling on Congress to make health care affordable. The current coverage losses are alarming, and likely to worsen as the year goes on.

“This was foreseeable and avoidable,” Macey said. “There were multiple federal and state policymakers who offered ideas to boost health care access and prevent harm, & these were tabled, often in favor of tax cuts that do not prioritize our health as a state and nation.”

Congress must reconsider extending the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits. Quality, affordable health insurance should be available and affordable to all.

06/13/2026

Our Hoosier oral healthcare crew was small but mighty last week in DC! CareQuest OPEN Hill Day was a great place to connect with others across the nation who are also concerned about oral healthcare affordability.

06/11/2026

📊 New data shows Indiana's economic well-being ranking for children fell from 11th to 23rd in the nation. Why? More Hoosier children are living in poverty, and more families are struggling with high housing costs. When families can't afford the basics, children feel the impact.

💡The latest KIDS COUNT Data Book shines light on where action is needed the most. This is a reminder that investments in affordable housing, childcare, and utility affordability are child well-being policies.

👉Read more from the Indiana Capital Chronicle: https://buff.ly/The6s3i

📖KIDS COUNT Data Book:https://buff.ly/MfHLbph

06/10/2026

A random fact learned while in D.C.:

Did you know that the U.S. Capitol has carvings of corn?? 🌽

Neither did we, so we thought we would share with fellow Hoosiers!