States Build Infrastructure to Advance Equity in their COVID-19 Responses and Beyond: Lessons from California

This article describes how California’s Department of Public Health developed a health equity metric for counties to either meet or demonstrate targeted investments to eliminate COVID-19 related health disparities. The metric specifies that counties with fewer than 106,000 residents demonstrate these targeted investments, while those with more than 106,000 residents must ensure that the COVID-19 test positivity rates in disadvantaged neighborhoods do not significantly lag behind the rest of the county. They also assembled the Health Equity Technical Assistance Team to collaborate with organizations to improve and form best practices and resources.