Center for Health Equity (LCHE) host 1st Health Crusaders Health Fair

The Southern University Student Health Center partnered with The Louisiana Center for Health Equity (LCHE) to host the 1st Health Crusaders Health Fair on March 19th in The Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. 
Students were able to get health screenings, BMI testing, and had the opportunity to win giveaways and an opportunity to donate blood. Along with these opportunities, students were able to sign up for the ObamaCare Health plan before the March 31, 2014 deadline. 
Founder and Director of LCHE, Alma Stewart, encourages students to sign-up and find out if they’re eligible for the ObamaCare Health plan. 
“With Southern University being the first campus in which we stopped at, I want students to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Stewart. 
“The LCHE works to help spread the word of the importance of health care in Louisiana, in doing so, we discovered that the majority of people that are uninsured are between the ages of 18 – 39, which is about 36 percent,” Stewart ended.
Stewart also said that some students may not be eligible for the health care plan due to the recent vote not to expand the opportunities here in Louisiana. Stewart encourages students that are not eligible to campaign, question their governor Bobby Jindal, and be an advocate. 
 “We know they won’t all qualify but they may be able to qualify for Medicaid, “ said Stewart. 
“I encourage them to go through the process and find out where they stand, because there is a minimum and maximum amount students can make a year,“ Stewart explained.  
There were certified officials present to help each student individually sign up and become aware of eligibility.
To bring awareness to Health Care, LCHE will have candlelight vigil ceremonies every first Thursday of each month during election months. Stewart invites everyone to the second candlelight vigil on April 3 at 6p.m. at the State Capitol. 
 When students enroll into Southern University, it is optional for students to sign up for usage of the Infirmary on campus. “By it [usage of the infirmary] being optional most students do not take get it,” said Director of Student Health Services Shirley F. Wade. 
 “Unfortunately I kept being told that I wasn’t a resident back home, so its been hard to find a place to go and register,” said junior accounting major Meoni Amaya from Los Angeles, California. 
”When I saw it was an open enrollment I hopped on it because its been difficult.”
When asked how many times she used the on-campus infirmary, Amaya responded
“I’ve used it about 7 or 8 times. I think it sucks for us that don’t have anywhere to go, because I don’t know where I would go if it weren’t for it [the clinic] being back there, “said Amaya. 
“I also don’t have the money to pay for extra coverage that is offered, it is 
absolutely a relief for me to have this [the clinic] here on campus,” Amaya finished.
“Unlike other universities, we tried to keep our infirmary open for the students, hopefully this will help our university and what we can do for them next year, “said Wade.
“I think it sucks,” said Mass Communication major Vincent Bartley of New Orleans. 
When asked how he felt about not being eligible he responded,
“I think it sucks because I’m a non traditional student.  I do work part time, but I’m a fulltime student, “ Bartley commented. 
“I don’t qualify for it because I don’t make enough money to qualify, at this point I do need coverage.”
When asked how he felt about the decision of the state Bartley responded,
 “I think they need to rethink their strategy and find the people that fall in the gap and help us out. We need it as well.” 
“After listening to the persons outside I found out that we would get penalized if we are not registered,” said elementary education sophomore Brandie Tate of Baton Rouge.
“ I didn’t pay attention at first, but I am glad my university brought such a beneficial event to us, because a lot of students didn’t know of it or were unaware,” said Tate who finished by saying, “So now that they are here now, its given us a chance to apply with no excuses.”