NOHD Health Equity Initiative

NOHD is part of a national initiative to support public health transformation in local health departments. We are using this opportunity to integrate equity—fair and just inclusion—as a guiding principle for our work and to examine health equity issues facing children, youth and families (CYF).

What is health equity? 

Health equity means all people and communities have the opportunity to attain their full potential and highest level of health.

Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally while focusing on eliminating inequities experienced by groups that have encountered obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group, income, gender, neighborhood, or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion.

It also requires addressing the social, economic and environmental conditions (such as housing, employment, public safety, and education) that create unjust differences in health status and opportunities for health in communities. 

 

What is NOHD doing as part of this initiative?

 

Internal Activities 

  • Organizational assessment, including a health equity staff survey, focus groups and management interviews
  • Strategic planning, including development of a health equity framework and theory of change
  • Examining best practices from leading public health agencies and other local health departments

External Activities

  • Listening sessions and discussions with:
    • Community-based leaders and nonprofit organizations
    • Community members
    • City government partners

Key Deliverables 

  1. Health Equity Framework that includes:
    • Health equity definition and key terms, theory of change and guiding principles.
    • An outline of activities and strategies to promote the health and wellbeing of children, youth and families.
    • A roadmap for focusing our efforts in areas where NOHD can have the most impact.
  2. An organizational strategy for institutionalizing equity principles at NOHD through staff training, quality improvement measures, and other strategies that build the department’s capacity to address health inequities

Click here to view PDF summary of the equity initiative

Give us your feedback! 

The perspective of NOHD staff is critical as we continue to shape our health equity initiative. Please give your feedback by answering the questions below. 

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(systems such as housing, education, employment, transportation, health care, criminal justice)