Health Equity
What is Health Equity?
Health equity is the ability for everyone to reach their full health potential, regardless of any socially determined status. Health equity in action involves removing barriers and providing resources for communities that are most impacted by a health issue.
Broomfield Public Health and Environment’s Beliefs
- Every person, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, religion or ability, has the right to access culturally relevant information, resources, and services to improve their health and wellbeing.
- Communities are the experts in their health needs and drive services and programs.
- Authenticity and respect are the foundations for strong community partnerships.
- Anti-racist and anti-discriminatory approaches, policies, and systems are required to achieve equity.
Health Equity Statement, Approach, and Framework
Broomfield Public Health and Environment’s Approaches to Advance Equity
Broomfield Public Health and Environment (BPHE) is dedicated to promoting health equity through all of its programs, services, and interactions by:
- Prioritizing community voice and using data to identify opportunities for health improvement in the community
- Developing collaborative approaches to combat health inequities in vulnerable communities
- Working across sectors and strengthening community partnerships that foster health equity and antiracism
- Asking critical questions about the upstream factors (socioeconomic factors, discrimination, and structural inequalities) that affect the health of our community, and collaborating on innovative solutions with the community
- Recognizing that there is always more to learn, and that our approaches can and should continuously improve
Health Equity Framework
BPHE utilizes a tailored health equity framework based on the BARHII Framework that informs our approach:
Click here Version OptionsHealth EquityHeadline for an accessible version of the framework.
Health Equity in Action
Here are a few examples of health equity in action in Broomfield:
Broomfield serves as a liaison for the Behavioral Health Ambassador program with the Metro Denver Partnership for Health (MDPH). MDPH is partnering with community organizations to reduce stigma associated with mental health among Latinx, African American/Black, and LGBTQ+ adults in the metro Denver region. The goal of this project is to reduce the percentage of self-reported mental health stigma by 5% among adults within these priority populations by 2025.
- There is spanish-speaking representation at the Broomfield Farmers’ Market for WIC shoppers to ensure access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
- All WIC communications translated into Spanish and verified by a native Spanish-speaker.
- A strategic priority of the BPHE Communications Division is to increase the quality and quantity of non-English materials. The amount of Facebook posts that have both English and Spanish copy and images is going to increase to 25% in 2023. Emergent communications that are rated at a level “high” will at minimum be translated into Spanish, and will be translated into other languages dependent on the event.
- An equity checklist has been implemented for communications, which is completed before the launch of every BPHE communications campaign.
- An Equity Communications Evaluation is completed every year to ensure that materials are effective are are being created from an equity lens.
- This group holds workshops for all coalition members on equity and trauma-informed approaches.
- This group meets quarterly to look at how to incorporate equity into all coalition strategies.
- The data sub-workgroup uses an equity lens to examine Healthy Kids Colorado Survey data to identify areas of focus and revision of any strategies that the coalition is currently working on.
Data to identify health inequities is built into program planning & evaluation.
Formed in 2022, the HEW’s goal is to develop a comprehensive plan with key strategies to reduce health inequities in Broomfield.
Formed in 2020, the health IDEAs group meets monthly to discuss and learn about social and racial equity, and how to incorporate those concepts into every day work.
Broomfield’s Vaccine Ambassadors, which is a community-centered collaboration between trusted local organizations and Broomfield Public Health and Environment, have been working over the last year to reduce barriers to vaccination. This group leads outreach and engagement efforts to disproportionately affected populations and directly assists residents in getting vaccinated, which has strongly impacted Broomfield’s adult and and child vaccination rates.
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City & County of Broomfield Title IV, Equity, Anti-Discrimination Statement and Policy
The City and County of Broomfield operates without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship, immigration status, gender, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, level of income, military status, or disability in all programs and activities. This statement is in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Restoration Act of 1987, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and related statutes and regulations.
The City and County of Broomfield is committed to facilitating an equitable community and workplace. Through coordinated strategic efforts and departmental alignment, CCOB advocates for making services accessible to all, especially those that have been historically excluded and under-resourced, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous and Persons of Color, Women, those who are Differently-Abled and members of LGBTQIA+ communities.
The City and County of Broomfield ensures that every effort will be made to prevent discrimination through the impacts of its programs, policies, and activities on minority and low-income populations. Furthermore, the City and County of Broomfield will take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to services for persons with limited English proficiency.