What to know
Recipients of the National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities grant are telling their success stories of how they are addressing COVID-19-related health disparities and advancing health equity through programs and activities funded by the grant.
Overview
Partners in Orange County, California used investments from CDC to mobilize partners and collaborators to advance health equity, address social determinants of health, and ensure that the most vulnerable communities would be better positioned to recover from COVID-19 and future public health crises.
Challenge
With a population of 3.2 million people, Orange County (OC) is the third largest county in California. The demographic make-up of the county is diverse, and approximately 8% of families in OC have incomes below the poverty level (compared to 10% statewide)1. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted health inequities and disparities amongst communities of color and communities with lower socioeconomic status. Racial and ethnic minorities experienced disproportionate case and death rates. In certain OC zip codes, people were 61% more likely to die from COVID-19 than in other zip codes2. The pandemic highlighted the need for building strong partnerships to improve health outcomes in these vulnerable communities.
With funding from CDC's COVID-19 Health Disparities grant, the Orange County Health Care Agency created the Equity in OC (EiOC) initiative, designed to mobilize partners and collaborators to advance health equity, address social determinants of health, and ensure that the most vulnerable communities would be better positioned to recover from COVID-19 and future public health crises.
Solution
The EiOC initiative's objectives were to:
- Develop and expand prevention resources
- Improve data collection, reporting, and infrastructure
- Improve capacity of local health departments
- Mobilize partners to address social determinants of health and improve health equity and access
To achieve these objectives, seven priority population health equity collectives made up of local non-profits and community-based organizations were funded to represent vulnerable communities, including Asian-Pacific Islander (API), Black, Latine, LGBTQ, individuals with disabilities, older adult, and South Asian/Middle Eastern/North African communities. Each Collective organized themselves, formed governance structures, and developed health equity action plans to guide their Collectives and strengthen their ability to impact policies and systems related to COVID-19 and address health disparities. Each Collective implemented strategies to achieve these goals. For example, the Asian and Pacific Islander Population Taskforce provided COVID-19 education, prevention, and vaccination services to members of their community. The efforts targeted hard-to-reach and high-risk API communities within OC, such as non-English speakers, older adults, and low-income families, to improve health knowledge and outcomes related to COVID-19. They are furthering these efforts by advocating for improved collection of health data from API communities to better understand health trends and impact of health emergencies, such as COVID-19.
Impact
The Collectives have made substantial strides in their internal cohesion and Collaborative functioning. As of May 2024, over 155 partner organizations and 248 community residents were engaged in Collective work. Through the inclusion of lived experiences and voices of impacted community members, the Collectives have been uniquely positioned to address health inequities within their own populations through trust and shared values. Additionally, while continuing to work on their individual Collective goals, the seven Collectives have joined forces to form an across-populations collaborative to amplify their impact by sharing a common voice for systems and policy change in county-level mental health, housing, and data equity practices. The Collectives have advocated to be at the decision-making table for systems change with the County Executive Office, Board of Supervisors, and systems leaders. According to Hieu Nguyen, the Director of Population Health and Equity at Orange County Health Care Agency, "The biggest impact we've experienced from this grant is a community that's standing in their power to forge a path forward that's more inclusive, equitable, and healthier for all residents of Orange County." The efforts of the Collectives and communities were critical in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and establishing cross-sector and cross-community collaborations that will continue for years to come.