Online Program

333510
Recommendations & Lessons Learned from a State-Level Public Health Equity Initiative


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 8:55 a.m. - 9:20 a.m.

Brenda Jegede, MPH, MSW, Bureau of Family, Maternal and Child Health, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, MI
Allison Krusky, MPH, RD, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Derek M. Griffith, PhD, Center for Medicine, Health and Society, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Renee Canady, PhD, MPA, Michigan Public Health Institute, Okemos, MI
Holly Nickel, MPH, CHES, Washington Square Building - MDCH, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, MI
Paulette Dobynes Dunbar, MPH, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, MI
Jean Egan, MPH, RD, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, MI
Courtney Adams, MPA, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, MI
Michelle Moore, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing
Tyrell Potts, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, MI
Background: Considerable federal, state and local resources have been committed to eliminating health disparities, including numerous interventions to reduce disparities. Although several of these efforts have outlined the roles and functions of the public health system, the approaches have tended to lack clarity in distinguishing state health departments’ roles from those of local and federal public health. In addition, few efforts have identified specific strategies that state departments should use to address health disparities in day-to-day responsibilities.

Methods: The Practices to Reduce Infant Mortality through Equity (PRIME) project was an initiative from 2010-2014 focusing on the unique needs of a state health department in addressing health disparities. PRIME integrated workshops that focused on raising awareness of the relationship between racism, discrimination, and health disparities. The PRIME project carried out an organizational assessment, exposed staff to existing equity workshops, and piloted and refined two health equity learning labs.

Results: The PRIME project developed the PRIME Guide for Public Health Professionals as an informational resource that health professionals may use for enhancing their own organizations’ efforts to promote equity. Summaries of outcome evaluations of the organizational assessments and trainings (6 workshops/530 participants) are also included. The potential benefit of this project includes an organizational cultural shift to address racial disparities in maternal and child health.

Conclusions: The PRIME Guide for Public Health Professionals is a resource for health professionals who are interested in learning more about these capacity-building efforts for transforming public health systems through equity education and action at the state-level.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Diversity and culture
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Compare different health equity workshops that can be used for public health staff. List health equity initiative components that they could use at their organization. Name 3 different health equity workshops that could be used at their organization.

Keyword(s): Health Disparities/Inequities, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Project Manager for PRIME and oversee the day-to-day management of the project, including the development of the Guide for PH Professionals. I co-facilitated Health Equity Learning Labs developed in PRIME. I have participated in several health equity workshops. I have extensive experience leading large scale, statewide initiatives in Public Health. As a PH Consultant I managed contracts and provided technical assistance and consultation for funded projects, as well as on-site reviews.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.