Inclusion describes systems, processes, and circumstances that are open to and respectful of the needs of diverse people.
Achieving health equity requires us to be intentional in creating meaningful exchanges of ideas among our health systems, policymakers, and the people most affected by inequities at every stage of policymaking—from identifying problems to evaluating the effects of policies and adapting to new information.
Connecticut can reduce inequities in health outcomes by leveraging mutually beneficial exchanges of resources and information to influence policy.
To foster inclusion, Health Equity Solutions recommends:
- Community engagement that informs policies at all stages of a project; for example community-led policymaking, more robust Medicaid member advisory councils, hospital community health needs assessments co-created with the communities served by the hospital, outreach and engagement by legislative and executive branch entities, and more
- Mutually beneficial engagement that makes sure community members know how their feedback was used and, if their ideas were not adopted, why not; for example, community benefit reporting should clearly tie community-identified needs to these programs and state government should respond to public comments
- Easily accessible information about how, when, and where CT residents can share their insights, needs, and ideas through public comment periods, public testimony, councils, or other means
- Accessible meetings for state-run councils, workgroups, and taskforces which consider logistical needs (transportation, interpretation, physical access, etc.), address power imbalances, and support community participants (if needed) with background information and context
Please share your thoughts with us by email or social media (Facebook: @healthequityct; Instagram: @healthequitysolutions; Twitter: @HealthEquityCT). How does this image reflect your work? What is missing? Stay tuned for posts expanding on each section of CT’s Path to Equity.