Health equity in public health practice
Health equity is achieved when every person has the opportunity to attain their health potential, and no one is unjustly kept from achieving this potential.
The work to advance health equity is in direct line with the history of local health departments acting as a key force with their communities to shape the conditions for population health.
The role of local public health in advancing health equity: While advancing health equity may seem daunting, local health departments have an important role to play in it. Indeed, it is an extension of the role or roles they already play: community convener, policy advocate, or even chief health strategist.
Related
Health Equity Learning Community: Learn more about Minnesota's Health Equity Learning Community, which brings together local public health to meet, engage in coaching, and adopt local action steps to increase health equity practices.
Resource Library for Advancing Health Equity in Public Health: This library of resources for community health boards and local health departments can help you continue to build your capacity to advance health equity.
Community engagement: Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with groups of people who are affiliated by geographic proximity, special interests, or similar situations with respect to issues affecting their well-being. Effective community engagement is critical because the way work is done with communities can actually advance or hinder health.
Healthy Minnesota Partnership: The Healthy Minnesota Partnership brings community partners and the Minnesota Department of Health together to improve the health and quality of life for individuals, families, and communities in Minnesota.
Narratives and health equity: Expanding the conversation: Using a public narrative approach can help us expand conversations with our partners across sectors, to include the social and economic conditions that shape health and well-being, and to suggest actions to advance health equity.
