Topic: Health Equity

Moving the Needle on Health Equity: Two Experts Share Successful Programs and Lessons Learned

Poverty, implicit bias, racism—these are just some of the preventable social factors that contribute to persistent, unjust inequities in health outcomes for children and families. This spring, NICHQ launched a series of webinars to support individuals who are pursuing equity within the health system. Our first webinar, Pursuing Health Equity: Start Where You Are, focused on what individuals can do to pursue change.

Now, we’re taking the next step and highlighting strategies children’s health programs and organizations can take to move the needle towards health equity. This second webinar in our Health Equity Series shared experiences from two health equity champions: Arthur R. James, MD, an obstetrician, gynecologist and pediatrician who has sought to improve care for underserved populations for the entirety of his medical career; and Denise Evans, MM, MA, a certified facilitator on cultural intelligence and unconscious bias.

Together, they provided insights on:

– Successful programs that have addressed health equity

– Lessons learned about what led to those programs’ successes

– Strategies that programs and organizations can use to champion health equity in their work

 

View the webinar recording here.

 

 

Health Equity

TIP 61: Behavioral Health Services for American Indians and Alaska Natives

SAMHSA’s new Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP), TIP 61, provides practical guidance on Native American history, historical trauma, and critical cultural perspectives for behavioral health work with American Indian and Alaska Native clients. It discusses the demographics, social challenges, and behavioral health concerns of Native Americans and highlights the importance of providers’ cultural awareness, cultural competence, and culture-specific knowledge. Specific topic areas include workforce development strategies, program and professional development considerations, and culturally responsive policies and procedures.

Alcohol/Drug Services Health Equity Mental Health

MotherWoman

MotherWoman promotes the resilience and empowerment of mothers and their communities by building community capacity and advocating for just policies through evidence based research and grassroots organizing. MotherWoman hosts support groups for postpartum women (in MA, CA and NY), provides training for healthcare and social service providers, supports communities in creating coalitions to address the issue of perinatal emotional complications and perinatal mood disorders on the community level, and works to raise awareness about social and economic justice issues and promote policies that positively impact mothers, children and families on the regional and national levels. The MotherWoman Support Group Model is replicable and has been successful with a broad diversity of postpartum mothers in a wide variety of settings. MotherWoman’s commitment to diversity and inclusion allows for diverse mothers to find common ground, inspiration and community with each other.

Depression Health Equity Mental Health

Improving Behavioral Health Equity for Pregnant Women, Mothers and their Babies

For 25 years, Healthy Start staff have been making mothers and babies a priority. Pregnant women are getting care earlier and fewer babies are dying. However, we now have a serious and growing problem with substance use and depression during pregnancy, newborns dependent on opioids and other substances, and significant differences in health conditions and treatment across populations. Together, we can strengthen the behavioral health of women and their families, and do more to address mental health and substance use in ways that respond to the needs of culturally diverse communities.

Healthy Start has always worked hard to screen and refer women and their families, but with challenges related to substance use and depression, we need new, more comprehensive, and more relevant strategies and solutions. Healthy Start programs have an opportunity to identify strategies and supports that address the needs of culturally diverse communities to prevent and treat life-threatening mental health and substance use disorders. As part of Healthy Start, you can be an important part of a new trend of fewer substance-exposed newborns, fewer pregnant women who use substances, and more women receiving much-needed mental health care during and after pregnancy.

Join us as we learn together about what can make it difficult for pregnant women and their families to be as healthy as possible, how you can help address obstacles and challenges that can mean unfair and unequal care for different populations, and about other considerations that can help you as you support children and families.

Presenters will actively engage participants throughout the webinar. They will also include current examples from culturally diverse populations, such as Tribal, Latinx, and African American communities to keep the discussion relevant to communities where Healthy Start staff and families live, work, and play.

Find webinar materials here:

Alcohol/Drug Services Depression Health Equity

Cultural Competence and Global Leadership

This program is targeted to a public health audience and covers some key definitions and concepts included in the Cultural Competence Continuum. It looks at changes in demographics and what it means in terms of health disparities for racial and ethnic minority populations. The program discusses the rationale for cultural competence and reviews research conducted during the last 30 years on cultural differences and global leadership. Participants will learn about:

Learning Objectives:

  1. Cultural Competence
  2. Changes in Demographics
  3. Health Disparities
  4. Rational for Cultural Competence
  5. Cultural Intelligence
  6. Intercultural Conflict Style and Strategies

Community Needs Assessment Cultural Competence Data Utilization Health Equity

Cultural Diversity, Health Disparities and Public Health

A primary aim of this course is to provide public health professionals with a broad overview of cultural diversity issues with a focus on race/ethnicity and gender. Health disparities, a major public health problem of interest, is discussed using cultural diversity as the conceptual framework for thinking about the role of the public health community and health policy solutions for addressing these issues. As a part of this process, course participants are exposed to introductory cultural diversity concepts. In addition, participants also have an opportunity to engage in critical thinking regarding the current social and health problems that impact the public’s health, particularly racial minorities.

Cultural Competence Health Equity

Diversity and Cultural Competency in Public Health Settings – Basic Level

The purpose of this course is to provide public health practitioners with the awareness and knowledge to incorporate diversity and cultural competency concepts, tools, and techniques into their daily work. It is expected that by the end of this course that each participant will be conversant in issues related to culture and health, health disparities, and community health models designed to close the gap in health disparities.

Learning Objectives:

  1. To describe the demographic trends and epidemiological trends related to diverse populations in the United States and abroad
  2. To compare and contrast diversity and cultural competency in the public health context
  3. To identify a framework to design culturally competent public health care services for diverse populations

Cultural Competence Health Equity Strategic Planning

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