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Council approved the creation of a Division of Health Equity and Social Justice within the city’s Department of Health at it's recent meeting (11/18).

The new division's role will be to focus specifically on finding solutions to inequities and disparities in our society caused by institutional racism. The effort is an offshoot of the council's move earlier this year to declare racism a public health crisis.

The legislation, aimed at overhauling  the health department, includes hiring a commissioner. The new commissioner will be the point person for building a staff and developing strategies for attacking inequities.include developing a strategic plan to make the department more effective and relevant.

That task includes addressing major public health issues, including systemic racism which is a root cause of inequity in health care.

The goal is to lift all people to their full health potential, something that considers surrounding conditions – physical and social structures such as housing, wealth, access to transportation, employment, and neighborhood safety; and actual access to health services.

“People every day are faced with the burden of systemic racism in our society,” said Councilman Blaine Griffin. “Through this new division we will be able to identify and reach out to our most needy and marginalized populations.” Ord. No. 843-2020.