Health Equity

The Regional Health Equity Roundtable Network (HERN)

In all fairness, everyone should have the opportunity to attain their highest level of health.  However, inequities are created when barriers prevent individuals and communities from accessing these conditions and reaching their full potential.  Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Inc., in partnership with the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce are the founders of the Maryland Regional Health Equity Roundtable Network (HERN). The Network consists of a consortium of crossed sector providers (Northern Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland) from the public, private and civil society to include local, state and federal health equity representatives and organizations.

It is the aim of the Network to advance health equity through a policy lens, foster collaborative efforts in developing measurable solutions that directly and positively impact the shaping of health equity policies and improved practices using a regional approach.  Maryland Regional Health Equity Roundtable Network goal is to eliminate disparities in health and
healthcare where all people attain and retain the highest level of health.
To ensure that all people have full and equal access to opportunities that enable them to thrive and lead healthy lives and to obtain health equity the Network will work in synergy to provide the outcomes below.

Objective Outcomes: To obtain health equity the Network will work in synergy to ensure that all people have full and equal access to opportunities that enable them to thrive and lead healthy lives. the following outcomes:

Actively seek collaboration, partnership, and field building Mobilize health equity leaders, advocate for policy makers to engage in policy, systems and environmental change activities in support of health equity; Outreach, recruit and train youth leaders to become health equity advocates, activist, or law makers; Collaborate with faith-based, Historical Black Colleges and Universities in PGC to include Bowie State University and Prince George’s Community College to offer a series of roundtable trainings in health equity. Provide a foundation to effectively shape policies and improve practices related to the social determinants in health from a regional approach; Give focus to Culture Change – Shifting the attitudes, values, beliefs, and aspirations of the Greater Washington region toward racial equity.  Give light to Power Change – Shifting the balance of power so people of color are designing, leading, and ultimately accomplishing change in their own communities Obtain and retain impactful outcome measures in assessments, implementation and evaluation of health equity policies and improved practices; and Develop, implement and evaluate a “health in all policies” approach.

Outcome:
When using a “Health in all Policies” approach, The Maryland Regional Health Equity Roundtable Network will provide inclusive regional wide engagement to build recommendations and policy using a collaborative approach that integrates and articulates health considerations into policy making and programming across sectors, and at all levels, aim to improve the health of all communities and people with a major focus on the social determinants of health. To meet our objectives it is essential to gain understanding in how do we as a network of diverse providers define “health equity” and how what approaches are needed to plan, and implement to meet the cultural competency.

Equity literacy is a framework for cultivating the knowledge and skills that enable us to be a threat t o the existence of inequity in our spheres of influence. More than cultural competence or diversity awareness, equity literacy prepares us to see even subtle ways in which access and opportunity are distributed unfairly across race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, language, and other factors. By recognizing and deeply understanding these conditions, we are prepared to respond to inequity in transformational ways in the immediate term. We also strengthen our ability to foster longer-term change by redressing the bigger institutional and societal conditions that produce the everyday manifestations of inequity.
For further information.

Bettye Muwwakkil, PhD
240 264 0878 – bettye@awpli.org