Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Equity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Minneapolis Health Department outlines health equity framework, trainings and tools
Summary
Health Department staff described a five‑principle health equity framework, staff trainings (including health literacy and gender inclusivity), a proposed equity policy and a Smartsheet health‑equity analysis tool; the committee received and filed the update.
The Minneapolis Health Department’s health equity team presented a status update on June 25, describing a five‑principle framework and multiple staff trainings intended to embed equity in departmental programs and contracts.
Pau Tal, manager of the health equity team, said the team—two full‑time and one part‑time staff—grounds its work on principles that include recognizing racism as a public‑health emergency, treating health as a human right, adopting trauma‑informed approaches, centering community, and using data to measure outcomes.
“Racism as a public health emergency … acknowledges that race and racism significantly influences health outcomes,” Tal said, summarizing the framework the department uses to guide training and program design.
Public health specialist Chua (Joel) Zhang described the department’s training offerings: Public Health 101, Health Equity 101, a health literacy course (more than 90 staff certified via CDC material), and a two‑part gender inclusivity series. The department also hosts monthly health equity learning sessions that have covered topics such as tap water promotion, lead testing, and waste reduction and air quality.
The presentation covered operational steps under development: a shared equity definition, an equity policy and visual framework to be included in orientation, role‑specific training plans, an equity checklist for RFPs, and a Smartsheet‑based health equity analysis tool to evaluate programs and improve accountability.
Chair Jason Chavez directed the clerk to receive and file the update. Committee members asked whether the department holds community listening sessions; Tal said the department coordinates with the Minnesota Department of Health and statewide health equity networks and seeks partner input.
What happens next: Department staff will continue to refine the policy, launch role‑specific trainings and roll out the equity analysis tool; the committee received and filed the update for record.
