|
About John Battista
Green Party Candidate, State Representative, 67th District
General Information:
John Battista is a physician and Board Certified Psychiatrist who has lived and worked in New Milford since 1983, when he assumed the practice of M. Scott Peck, M.D. Before this he was an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of California, Davis, where he served as the Director of Residency Training and the Director of the Outpatient Clinic. His wife, Justine McCabe, Ph.D., is a practicing Clinical Psychologist in New Milford. His older daughter, Jenny, is a licensed nurse midwife in Davis, California. His younger daughter, Jessa, is a community health worker in San Francisco. His son, Jared, graduated from Yale University in 2002. He currently is working at the Yale University Library before attending graduate school.
Educational Background:
Princeton University, BA in Psychology, 1968
Stanford University, MD and MA in Psychology, 1972
University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, Certificate in Psychiatry, 1976
Achievements and Awards:
John is the author of 25 articles and the editor of three books. He is the recipient of numerous research, teaching and writing awards including a National Research Service Award, the Laughlin Prize of the National Psychiatric Endowment Fund, and the Will Solimene Award of Excellence, from the American Medical Writers Association. He is recognized by Who's Who in CT.
Interests and Hobbies:
John is an avid organic gardener and landscaper in the Japanese tradition. In addition he enjoys hiking, backpacking, river rafting, playing jazz piano, and bocce ball.
Civic Involvements:
John is the President of the GrassRoots Coalition of New Milford and a member of its Board of Directors. He is on the Board of Directors of the Housatonic Environmental Action League (HEAL). He worships at the Benedictine Grange in West Redding and the Hermitage of the Dayspring in Kent, where he serves as an advisor to the Board. He is a member of Northville Residents Association, Friend and Neighbors of Historic Merryall, Weantinoge Heritage, and the New Milford Trust for Historic Preservation.
Political Involvements:
John became engaged in CT state politics through serving on the Steering Committee of the CT Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program. He formed the CT Coalition For Universal Health Care in 1998, and serves as its President. He is the leading advocate of universal health insurance for all CT residents and has spoken extensively throughout the state on this topic. He was the primary author of the CT Health Care Security Act, a bill to bring comprehensive health care insurance to all CT residents. This bill was co-sponsored by seven representatives in the Assembly, was passed out of committee, but was not raised for vote due to insurance industry lobbying. A modified version of this bill will be introduced into the 2003 legislative session. Bill Curry has agreed to sign this legislation if it passed by the Assembly.
John has testified before, and lobbied, the Public Health Committee, the Human Services Committee, and the Labor Committee of the CT State Legislature on behalf of universal health insurance, the bulk purchase of prescription drugs to lower health care costs, Medicaid benefits, and a wide variety of other health care issues. In addition, he has been an active member of many health care advocacy coalitions in CT, including Health Care For All, and the CT Medicaid Managed Care Coalition, which serves to watchdog for-profit managed care corporations in the CT Husky program.
Furthermore, John has been active in a wide variety of state coalitions that have advocated for making CT electrical utilities comply with the Federal Clean Air Act, limiting exposure to Mercury, enacting election campaign finance reform, ending child poverty, stopping the stadium, and other environmental, social, and economic justice issues.
John became active in the CT Green Party in 1999. He currently represents Connecticut on the Coordinating Committee of the Green Party of the United States.
Finally, John has been politically active through the media. He has served as a commentator on the local news program, "News and Views." He served as the radio host for WPKN's "Health Care in Mind" where he interviewed health care activists from around the country. Currently he is the host of "Progressive Voices" on WPKN where he interviews progressive social activists throughout the United States. He has published OP-ED pieces and letters to the editor on a wide range of political issues throughout the state.
John R. Battista, M.D., "A Doctor For The House"
Paid for by Battista 2002 Bob Rush, Treasurer
CT
Green Party Home | Elections
|
