Advancing Health Equity at MDH: 2014-2024
In 2013, the Minnesota Legislature directed MDH and its partners to complete a report about advancing health equity in Minnesota. The Advancing Health Equity in Minnesota: Report to the Legislature (PDF) was submitted to the Minnesota Legislature on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014. This report assessed Minnesota’s health disparities at the time and recommended best practices, policies, processes, data strategies, and other steps to promote health equity for all Minnesotans.
Ten years after the original report, MDH embarked on an initiative to tell the story of our journey toward advancing the recommendations laid out in the report. To do this, we collected input from both MDH staff and community partners on our progress since 2014. We used this data along with stories of progress from across the agency to create a follow-up report describing our journey to advance health equity from 2014-2024. We also partnered with members of the Health Equity Advisory and Leadership (HEAL) Council to advise on this important initiative.
Advancing Health Equity at MDH: 2014-2024 (PDF)
Recommendations from 2014
The 2014 report highlighted the following recommendations:
- Recommendation 1: Advance health equity through a health in all policies approach across all sectors.
- Recommendation 2: Continue investments in efforts that currently are working to advance health equity.
- Recommendation 3: Provide statewide leadership for advancing health equity.
- Recommendation 4: Strengthen community relationships and partnerships to advance health equity.
- Recommendation 5: Redesign MDH grant-making to advance health equity.
- Recommendation 6: Make health equity an emphasis throughout MDH.
- Recommendation 7: Strengthen the collection and analysis of data to advance health equity.
Next steps
This report has allowed MDH to reflect on lessons learned with more intentionality and reaffirm its commitment to building a healthier, more equitable Minnesota together. Moving forward, MDH must:
- Lead with authentic community engagement. The 2014 recommendations were shaped through more than 180 conversations with Minnesotans. MDH must continue this tradition by creating new opportunities for communities most impacted by inequities to co-create solutions. Doing so will strengthen trust, rebuild public confidence in health systems, and ensure equity remains central to decision-making.
- Confront emerging threats together. Minnesota faces mounting challenges, from the mental health crisis and climate change to misinformation and the impacts of rapidly advancing technology. By working side by side with communities, Tribal Nations, other state agencies, local governments, and cross-sector partners, MDH can ensure Minnesota is prepared, resilient, and equitable in the face of these pressures.
- Hold ourselves accountable through clear metrics. Progress must be visible and measurable. MDH will develop and use meaningful indicators that track both the advancement of health equity goals and tangible reductions in disparities. These metrics will guide decisions, demonstrate impact, and hold MDH and its partners accountable to Minnesotans.
Over the coming months, the agency will begin building a roadmap for how it will advance these goals and address the gaps identified in this report in partnership with Tribal Nations, local public health, other state agencies, healthcare institutions, and community organizations.
Advancing health equity is at the heart of building a stronger, more vibrant Minnesota. Together, we can create a Minnesota where health and wellbeing is not the privilege of some, but a reality for all.