Across the country, there is growing acknowledgment of the impact of racism on the health of individuals and communities. Through resolutions, executive orders, and other mechanisms, many local leaders are declaring racism a public health crisis and are committing to addressing systemic health and racial inequities. Leaders are exploring the policies and practices that are most needed to move from commitment to action and how to best use policy to effect meaningful change toward health, racial equity, and justice. Download the initiative’s summary of policies and practices.
Launched in October 2021, Healing Through Policy: Creating Pathways to Racial Justice is an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation, the American Public Health Association, and the National Collaborative for Health Equity. In its first phase, the initiative’s partners and advisory committee identified a suite of racial equity policies and practices that can be implemented at the local level to promote racial healing and address social inequities.
The policy and practice suite is being widely disseminated to cities across the United States. In coming years, Healing Through Policy partners plan to provide technical assistance to local governments and community leaders undertaking efforts to advance policies and practices in the suite.