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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.
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Peer Review Study
This multidisciplinary vaccine delivery strategy was implemented by the Puget Sound Veterans Affairs (VA) facility to mitigate inequities in COVID-19 vaccination among veterans. The practice, which followed the Equitable Vaccine Framework, was put in place in the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and entailed targeted outreach to individual patients based on a score consisting of the sum of risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease and high-risk race or ethnicity. The strategy included four main domains: allocation, outreach, delivery, and monitoring. The care system conducted sequential outreach using multiple communication modalities, worked with community partners to publicize and deploy mobile clinics to underserved areas, and monitored vaccination coverage rates by age, race, sex, and rural status at prespecified intervals and adjusted operations to ensure equity. During the vaccine drive, vaccination rates were higher among Black, multiracial, and Hispanic veterans, compared with white veterans.
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.
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Case Study
The case study outlines how Lake County Health Department (LCHD) in Illinois created a health equity team whose job included facilitating relationships with community and agency partners. The case study includes examples of how the team created tools to increase awareness within LCHD of the impact of social determinants on health. For the team, LCHD specifically prioritized candidates who had lived experience in historically vulnerable communities and those who were used to multicultural bridging.
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.
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Case Study
This case study outlines how the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) in Ohio helped to found, coordinate, and facilitate a multisectoral consortium that created a Community Health Improvement Plan for the county. The consortium also implemented trainings on equity. The CCBH’s participation in the consortium helped bring equity to the front of CCBH’s strategic plan.
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
The article presents strategies of how Durham County Department of Public Health operationalized equity into multiple phases of its COVID-19 response through infrastructure changes and how to apply these methods to future public health emergencies to better serve vulnerable populations. This response relied upon robust data collection of demographic data to identify inequities. Infrastructure changes included standing up multiple COVID-19 Task Forces (Homeless, Community, Food Security, African American) and Strike Teams (Long-Term Care Facility, Clusters) targeting vulnerable populations; placing testing sites in targeted locations; collaborating with multisector and community partners for feedback; and providing Health Ambassadors for in-person dissemination of COVID-19 information. The paper reviews results from these interventions and lessons learned.
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.
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Peer Review Study
This article reviews systemic factors affecting low income immigrant communities during COVID-19 and provides recommendations strategies to improve public health infrastructure using the Public Health 3.0 concept. This high-risk community represented a large portion of essential workers, who even before the pandemic faced less access to health care and were structurally marginalized. The authors discuss equity strategies including prioritizing COVID-19 public relief funds and allocating testing and vaccines to these communities. The paper also reviews how to improve public health infrastructure to mitigate disparities immigrant communities face by addressing social determinants of health, communicating about and structuring policies and programs that do not require identification, engaging cross-sector stakeholders, and developing tools to collect relevant, appropriate data.
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.
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Key Informant Interview
The director of the Black Hawk County Public Health Department in Iowa shares her thoughts on best practices for community engagement and public health leadership in this Q and A with The Kresge Foundation. The conversation is geared towards her experiences dealing with a highly segregated community and varying needs during COVID-19.
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.
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Summary Report/Recommendations
This article describes strategies to embed equity into the standard operations of the health department. These include incorporating equity-focused language into written documents like strategic plans and mission statements; utilizing an organizational evaluation toolkit (e.g. Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative Organizational Self-Assessment Toolkit) to find opportunities to improve equity focus of public health strategy; and establishing organization-wide equity-focused work groups to ensure the continued focus on health equity in future interventions.
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.
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Summary Report/Recommendations
This report describes how health departments are uniquely positioned to serve as experts and advisors in community health issues, and can provide key information to underline existing disparities. They are also positioned to coordinate partnerships between different sectors, play an advisory role in decision-making, and ensure investment efforts are aligned with Community Health Assessments and Community Health Needs Assessments, and that these efforts truly advance health equity. Public health departments have expertise on potential government sources of funding and have experience in community engagement.
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.
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Summary Report/Recommendations
This brief outlines case studies, resources, and recommendations that counties and cities can take to explicitly and intentionally embed equity staff and practices into their emergency operations structures within the public health emergency response and recovery process. To implement this strategy, health departments should build robust community partnerships before a crisis occurs. They should collaborate with community based organizations, non-profits, and leaders to ensure that interventions are responsive to community needs. Before an emergency, health departments should create a coalition of community partners, and establish a Community Organization Active in Disaster group and agree upon decision-making structures, values, and resources. Health departments should compensate partners for their time. Finally, they should provide opportunity for feedback by creating a Community Advisory Group.
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.
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Summary Report/Recommendations
Community power building organizations (CPBOs) can help support community engagement activities and drive policy change. This report outlines why health departments should collaborate with CPBOs and effective ways to work together. It includes findings from state and local departments who have worked with CPBOs to reform how decisions are made and help improve outcomes related to health equity. The findings include building power by inviting CPBOs to decision-making tables, scheduling regular meetings with CPBOs to build stronger relationships, and/or working with CBPOs to create strategies to advance health-promoting policies.