A community symposium, “Crisis in Health Care: Solutions for the Safety Net,” will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the First United Methodist Church of Santa Barbara, 305 E. Anapamu St.
Guest speakers include Dr. Elliot Schulman, director and health officer for the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department; Rabbi Arthur Gross-Schaefer, professor at Loyola Marymount University and rabbi for Shul of Montecito and Santa Barbara; and U.S. Rep. Lois Capps.
The public is invited to attend and engage in a community discussion on how to best address the health care needs of the community. There will be a panel discussion led by the Rev. Pam Washburn, director of spiritual care at Cottage Hospital, where distinguished panelists will explore the health care crisis from a variety of perspectives.
Panelists include 2nd District Supervisor Janet Wolf; Dr. Lynn Jahnke, medical director of Casa Esperanza; Dr. Chris Lambert of the Santa Barbara Medical Society; Gerry Arcuri, Hospital Association of Southern California, Ventura/Santa Barbara Region; R. Lyle Luman, CEO of CenCal Health; and Walt Hamilton, executive director of Service Employees International Union, Local 620.
The goal of the symposium is to educate people about the crisis in health care and encourage and equip them to become engaged in finding local solutions. The symposium will look at the health care system’s injustices, revitalize social conscience and explore partnerships to respond to local needs. The symposium is free and open to the public.
For more information, call 805.963.3579.
William Boyer is Santa Barbara County’s communications director.