Racism as a Public Health Crisis
Communities across the United States are recognizing the role of racism in creating differences in outcomes for people of color and are committing to changing the laws, policies, and practices that create and reinforce racist power structures by declaring racism a public health crisis. Treating racism as a public health crisis means recognizing that it affects entire groups of people, not just individuals, and that proposed solutions must be focused on policy and systems change rather than individual behaviors.
While health equity is woven into all our work, the resources included here specifically address law and policy issues that directly impact health equity.

Resources

State and Local Efforts to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis – Eastern Region Update

Racism as a Public Health Crisis—Perspectives on Healthy Aging

2022 Public Health Law Summit Webcast—Keynote Address

How to Work with Local Leaders to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis

Critical Public Health Law and Policy Issues in 2021: The Year in Review

Guidance: Declarations of Racism as a Public Health Crisis

State and Local Efforts to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis – Southeastern Region Update

An Assessment of the Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

Declarations of Racism as a Public Health Crisis: Utilizing Declarations to Address Health Inequities

Systemic Racism and Policing: How Can Public Health Advocates Grapple with the Dual Challenges of Systemic Racism and Discriminatory Policing?

State and Local Efforts to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis
Spotlight

Legal and Policy Assistance to Address Racial Health Equity

Dual Epidemics of COVID-19 and Overdose Highlight Impact of Structural Racism

Structural Racism and Public Health: News Round-Up
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A Closer Look at Health Equity and Racism
Health equity refers to the conditions in which everyone has the chance to have their best possible health. A number of social and structural factors determine who has access to the resources necessary for good health. These factors include the physical environment where people live and work; economic opportunity; quality education; safe and healthy housing; and social conditions like discrimination. Laws and policies can create barriers to good health by creating unequal access and opportunity, leading to inequitable health outcomes for people across populations with a different race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status.
Racism creates barriers to health and well-being by creating differences in power and access to resources for minoritized or marginalized racial or ethnic groups. Communities across the United States are recognizing the role of racism in creating differences in outcomes for people of color and are committing to changing the laws, policies, and practices that create and reinforce racist power structures by declaring racism a public health crisis. Treating racism as a public health crisis means recognizing that it affects entire groups of people, not just individuals, and that proposed solutions must be focused on policy and systems change rather than individual behaviors.
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