Celebrating Juneteenth and Advancing Health Equity
As we celebrate Juneteenth, we are honoring this historic day by reaffirming our commitment to health equity. At Day Health Strategies, we recognize Juneteenth not just as a historical milestone but as a call to action. The fight for equity persists, particularly in the realm of health care, where disparities in access and outcomes remain pervasive.
Health Equity Compact: Leading the Charge
Recently, members of our team joined over 1,000 others at the 2nd Annual Health Equity Trends Summit, hosted by the Massachusetts-based Health Equity Compact (HEC). The HEC is a coalition of over 80 Black and Latinx leaders dedicated to eradicating racial and ethnic disparities in health care. Among the notable attendees was John Hatch, a 96-year-old pioneer who founded one of the first community health centers in the US, in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. He praised Massachusetts for its advances in health equity and the prominence of women leaders in the state. Michael Curry, President & CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a co-founder of the Health Equity Compact, invigorated attendees with his message to persevere in the face of challenges.
The insights gained from the summit emphasize the importance of collaborative and consistent efforts in addressing health inequities. Some of this progress is noted below. The summit also reinforced our commitment to implementing the lessons learned into our practices at Day Health Strategies.
Progress in Massachusetts
Several initiatives underway in Massachusetts are making notable strides towards addressing health equity:
MassHealth: MassHealth (the state’s Medicaid program), is in the second year of implementing its historic Medicaid waiver which focuses on advancing health equity in the state. The Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association recently released a Medicaid waiver report demonstrating the progress that all its hospitals are making “to embed health equity efforts at the point of care, make services more accessible for patients, and reduce persistent disparities.” Notably, the state is holding hospitals accountable by tying funding to these efforts, which can only be obtained by demonstrating measurable progress toward health equity goals.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH): The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has been at the forefront of addressing racism as a public health threat. Their strategic plan integrates racial equity into all aspects of their work. Key initiatives include implementing a data equity framework, supporting extensive staff participation in racial equity training, and ensuring community engagement in procurement processes. This comprehensive approach, endorsed by Governor Maura Healey and led by Dr. Hafsatou Diop, is crucial in creating a more equitable public health system in Massachusetts.
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC): Racial Equity Advancement & Collaborative Hub (REACH): The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) has also taken significant steps with the launch of the Racial Equity Advancement & Collaborative Hub (REACH). This initiative addresses persistent racial inequity within municipal operations. Supported by the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), REACH offers training and peer learning to help municipalities create inclusive and equitable environments.
Day Health’s Commitment to the Journey
At Day Health Strategies, we are continually working towards fostering equity, internally and externally:
Internally, we strive to cultivate a diverse team through a rigorous multi-step hiring process. We keep building on the work that DEI Ready partnered with us on two years ago. Our performance evaluations have been re-designed to be more fair and comprehensive, incorporating 360-degree feedback and behaviorally-anchored rating scales (BARS). Additionally, we value insights from our feedback loops to continuously improve and create a more inclusive work environment.
Externally, we are engaging in impactful client work to advance health equity. This year, we were proud to help the State of Kentucky launch its first-ever health equity dashboard. We worked with several state agencies and facilitated numerous stakeholder groups to create a prioritized list of health equity goals and we then developed key performance metrics to ensure progress.
This Juneteenth, we reaffirm our dedication to eradicating health disparities and championing justice and equity in health care. We urge everyone to reflect on the significance of this day and consider how each of us can contribute to creating a more equitable society. Join us in this commitment to health equity. Together, we can effect meaningful change.
For more information on our initiatives and to join the movement towards health equity, visit our website and follow us on social media.