The Health Equity Agenda (HEA) works to reduce health disparities and promote equity across Santa Clara County through collaboration and strategic action.
Behind the Health Equity Agenda is a group of Santa Clara County-based organizations. Local government agencies and non-profits partner to create a healthier future for our community. They intervene where inequities happen and chart the metrics that show progress. Interventions and metrics address:
Seven Santa Clara County organizations come together to address health equity in our county. Find out more about each of these organizations behind the initiative:
is a Santa Clara County-wide network of community-based, non-profit organizations providing essential mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, recovery, and supportive transitional housing services to children, adolescents and adults, under contracts with Santa Clara County’s Behavioral Health Services Department.
is focused on protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, disease and injury prevention, and the promotion of sound health policy.
is a community organization that harnesses the strength of grassroot organizing and public policy innovation to propel the movement for a just and equitable economy
is a local, community-based health plan dedicated to creating opportunities for better health and wellness for all. In partnership with providers and community organizations since 1997, SCFHP works to ensure everyone in Santa Clara County has access to equitable, high-quality health care.
is a Santa Clara County-wide network of community-based, non-profit organizations providing essential mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, recovery, and supportive transitional housing services to children, adolescents and adults, under contracts with Santa Clara County’s Behavioral Health Services Department.
is an operating foundation dedicated to building health equity in Silicon Valley for vulnerable populations. By strategically aligning its roles as both a funder and an advocate, maximizing its impact within its Focus Areas.
was founded in 1993 in response to community concern for the viability of community-based, primary care health centers. By joining together in a local consortium, community health centers are able to enhance their services to low-income patients through the CHP’s collaborative projects.
The Health Equity Agenda employed two groups to help with data and research:
who helps philanthropies, nonprofits, and governments solve the world’s most urgent social problems.
Dr. Vicky Gomez and Dr. Rachel Berkowitz, College of Health and Human Sciences, San Jose State University.
Policies targeting the underlying causes of racism and various forms of oppression aim to alleviate wide-ranging disparities in education, income, and overall wellbeing across racial, gender, and socioeconomic divides.
Neighborhood improvement initiatives and policies aim to address the physical and social characteristics of neighborhoods that impact health outcomes, such as pollution.
Screening, case management, and high-quality care interventions aim to address the prevalence of disease, injury, morbidity, and mortality within a community.
Health education, preventative services, and behavior change initiatives target individual behaviors, such as diet and exercise, as well as drug and alcohol use, which affect health outcomes.
Fostering Health Equity Through Community Engagement and Data-Driven Insights
As stakeholders address urgent public health issues related to COVID-19, the Steering Committee is launching a comprehensive plan for Santa Clara County. This plan aims to tackle systemic racial health disparities, promote health equity, and reduce the risk of loss of life from future pandemics and disasters.
The Health Equity Agenda Steering Committee will implement this agenda and create an index to track key health equity metrics.
The goal is to achieve measurable reductions in racial health disparities and long-term healthcare costs, while maintaining a commitment to tracking both the short term and long term outcomes.
Progress will require focused efforts in each area, with the Health Equity Agenda continually building on community feedback and data each year. We encourage you to stay tuned for updates on this year’s priorities as we work together to create a healthier community for everyone.