At Community Catalyst, we work with people who have faced medical debt, as well as partner organizations across the country and other national groups advocating to prevent and end medical debt. We want people’s stories to be heard and to help shape policies that reduce or eliminate medical debt.

Ending medical debt is part of our bigger goal to help communities make sure hospitals do the right thing — like offering financial help, stopping unfair bills, and keeping care available, especially in rural areas and communities that face the biggest challenges. Our work in this area includes pushing for lower health care costs and stopping unfair collection practices by hospitals.

This toolkit is here to help people who want to take action on medical debt, especially in ways that are equitable, inclusive, and centered on the needs of those most affected. It focuses on understanding the root causes of medical debt and finding community-driven solutions that support health equity and race justice.

This toolkit is made for both community advocates and community members. It can be used together with community members, by organizations themselves, or by small groups of staff. The goal is to give clear, useful strategies to reduce the causes and effects of medical debt while making sure that equity, inclusion, and community voice are part of all the work.

View the toolkit here