Find Resources
Best Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes when implemented in multiple real-life settings, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study, Summary Report/Recommendations
The guidance outlined in this report provides a roadmap for the ethical inclusion of pregnant women’s experiences in in the development and deployment of vaccines against emerging viruses. Recommendations include bolstering health information surveillance systems, stakeholder engagement with health care, women, families and communities, and changing the narrative about pregnancy and clinical research efforts. Recommendations require commitment of financial resources, addressing inequities in public health and whenever possible, the inclusion of perspectives of pregnant women. Lastly, the authors recommend that “When there is a limited supply of vaccine against a pathogenic threat that disproportionately affects pregnant women, their offspring, or both, or when only one vaccine among several is appropriate for use in pregnancy, then pregnant women should be among the priority groups to be offered the vaccine.” This prioritization process is key to addressing inequities and are guidance for future pandemic response efforts.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Case Study
This case study outlines how Sonoma County Department of Health Services created a framework called Health Action, outlining goals for improving the most pressing health disparities in their region. The study also describes how the Department convened a collaborative Health Action Council, comprised of community partners to address the key indicators of health outlined in the framework. They created a report based in data to align the work of the Department and its partners in order to more effectively address health disparities. Some of the most pressing problems identified included disparities around education and the relationship between education and health. Formation of Health Action has resulted in multiple groups using the strategic plan to inform their efforts.
Novel Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and are in the process of generating evidence of effectiveness or may not yet be tested.
RELEASE DATE:
Toolkit
This blueprint presents recommendations for Illinois to reduce health disparities in rural areas. Recommendations include (1) investing in programs to recruit and retain rural health care workers; (2) improving rural data systems; (3) integrating health care and social services in rural areas; (4) increasing communication between rural health organizations and public health departments; and (5) creating a rural innovation center to coordinate data, policies, and strategies across state agencies.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
White Paper/Brief
This brief describes work to partner health departments with community organizing groups, focusing on a collaboration between Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and two community organizations. These partnerships allow health departments to actively address power imbalances that may decrease community trust in health departments. The Santa Barbara Public Health Department developed an analysis of power and worked directly with grassroots organizers. To build trust, the health department undertook many actions, including sharing organizational charts, explaining decisions, facilitating personal sharing and trust exercises, spending time together, discussing structural racism, and more. During COVID-19, these partners shared information targeted towards those with various languages and literacy levels.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This study examines the challenges of using community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 brings unique challenges to this approach due to social distancing and the closure of key community organizations. They identify three key challenges: flexibility to pivot when needed, inequity in research participation, and the well-being of the research team. The study focuses on impacts for immigrant and communities of color and examines intersectionality’s with age and gender.
Novel Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and are in the process of generating evidence of effectiveness or may not yet be tested.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
In this community-engaged research study from Massachusetts, community health centers worked with communities partners to increase COVID-19 testing. CHCs strengthened these partnerships through local advisory groups and community outreach communications. This study compared testing among health centers that strengthened these relationships with health centers that acted as controls and functioned as they previously had.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Case Study
During the pandemic, the Minnesota Department of Health created three new teams focused on an equitable COVID-19 response. These teams included the Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities Branch; the Tribal COVID-19 Healthcare Team; and the Vaccine Equity Branch. These teams created partnerships with community partners, elevated community voices, set equity goals and metrics, and respected tribal sovereignty in their COVID-19 response. This helped to ensure resources were used equitably and that COVID-19 responses were effective within diverse communities.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This environmental scan of the New Orleans Health Department identified barriers to equity within the department and proposed solutions to build capacity to increase health equity. Specific suggestions included partnering with community members/organizations (and allowing them to lead some efforts), using community organizing approaches, partnering across sectors, focusing on equity in hiring and wages, diversifying the workforce, and ensuring diversity when convening groups.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Case Study
This case study describes how the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has partnered with a wide range of community-based organizations to ensure food security. Before the pandemic, these partners worked together to change policies related to food security, while, during the pandemic, this partnership allowed communities to quickly provide emergency food distribution. Through this network, the department and communities both created guidelines to address food securities and worked to outreach to communities about these strategies, including by reaching individuals in their languages.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
Members of many underserved communities have long seen worse health outcomes, and this has been exacerbated by COVID-19. This article describes certain strategies that health departments, hospitals, universities, service providers, and others have used to engage and partner with members of underserved communities. In Chicago, health departments, hospitals, service providers, and community organizations formed an alliance that met daily to coordinate services for people experiencing homelessness. The Navajo Nation partnered with health departments and hospitals to create a health command center to get aid to people, test and contact trace, and collect funding. An alliance in Albuquerque used community based participatory research (CBPR) to complete strategic planning regarding mitigating COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness. Other cities also used CBPR or saw grassroots efforts to partner wit health departments to increase aid and funding to communities with the greatest need.