Where dialogue and action coexist: Organizing leaders and building capacity to advance Health Equity in All Policies

Challenges abound as public health agencies work to advance health equity in all policies, including risk-averse agency leadership, political pushback, and a lack of capacity and resources. To address such challenges, Human Impact Partners convened the first of its kind “Public Health and Equity Cohort” of 12 emerging public health leaders from around the U.S. Over fifteen months, participants received trainings to bolster their leadership, skills, and confidence; identified opportunities to take risks and build power inside and outside their departments; and found policy targets to advance organizational change. Established public health and equity leaders co-developed the curriculum and mentored the group.

Our collaborative pedagogical approach used peer teaching and case studies, with cohort members and mentors sharing examples, receiving feedback and guidance, debating strategies, and discussing successes and challenges. Training topics included: power, narrative, and ideology; structural racism; community organizing; staff development; and organizational change. Concurrently, cohort members worked with local community organizations to advance equity-focused policy change on minimum wage or early childhood development.

Cohort members gained tools to advance strategies within their departments and build outside demand for department responsiveness and leadership in social justice policy campaigns. Outcomes include members starting action-oriented health equity initiatives within their departments; disseminating curriculum to colleagues; building new relationships with community organizations in support of policy campaigns; and providing data to support campaigns.

This session will describe the cohort as an intervention to advance health equity; the learning models used to build cohort capacity; and cohort successes in advancing health equity.