1. Successes in Achieving Health and Human Services Equity in Minnesota
Antonia Wilcoxon, Director of Community Relations
Minnesota Department of Human Services

2. Efforts on reduction of inequities The role of CECLC and community engagement

3. Cultural and Ethnic Communities Leadership Council (CECLC)
Disparities Reduction Advisory Committee
CECLC established by Legislature in 2013
15 to 25 members appointed by DHS commissioner.
Council members represent:
Health and Human Services committee members at the Legislature
Racial and ethnic minority groups
Members of the American Indian community
Human services program participants
Public and private institutions
Parents of human services program participants
Members of the faith community
DHS employees

4. CECLC Core Values
BE consistent, proactive, and represent diverse communities
KNOW that within communities there is a lot of diversity; that there is a big task ahead because we are talking about ambitious changes; all the facts that inform our work; and that there are good practices we can draw on
DO reach out to a broader community to make sure they are represented and dig deep into the root issues and possible solutions

5. CECLC Core Agreements
Everyone is heard: practice active listening, build connections to others before and after meetings, and include opportunities for stakeholder input
All voices are honored: practice compassion and withhold judgment
Have integrity: practice honesty, put aside personal gain, prioritize attending meetings
Be transparent: practice sharing information, describe your own experiences to give context, explain expectations for participation, share our work with others
Empower people: practice speaking up courageously; reach out to other communities for input
Embrace tension: practice addressing issues where there isn’t clear agreement, spend time ensuring everyone feels safe to discuss their point of view

6. CECLC Recommendations
Awareness: increases awareness of inequities, impact on cultural populations
Leadership: equity analysis, accountability of leadership; hiring and retention, contracting, transforming agency culture
Community Health and Health Systems: collaborative caregiving, trust and engagement with providers; provider capacity to complex needs; cultural beliefs, practices in healing
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services: vendor selection, transparency eligibility; partners and allies, include community health workers
Research and Evaluation: disaggregation of data in health; community-defined cultural and ethnic groups’ input. Promote use of evidence-based and practice-based approaches
NPA Office of Minority Health

7. CECLC recommendations
Equity Policy
Prioritizes diverse and inclusive workforce development
Guidance for contracting and procurement
Equity review in all DHS policy proposals and regulatory compliance
Equity review in program structure
Promotes authentic community engagement
Formation and development of new Community and Partner Relations Administration
Development of infrastructure to sustain equity efforts
Projects to advance health equity

8. CECLC activities Monthly meetings with guest speakers
Training sessions
Annual reports
Speaking opportunities
Bush Grant activities
Health Equity Conference

9. CECLC Activities

10. Bush Community Innovation Grant
DHS is one 30 organizations selected to receive a Community Innovation Grant from the Bush Foundation.
$75,000 grant used by DHS to strengthen cultural competency on an agency wide level.
Training workshops held to promote community engagement, health equity for DHS staff, representatives from racially diverse communities.
Five community engagement events in planning stages, aimed at collaborative, resourceful and inclusive problem-solving.

11. Bush Grant activities

12. Community engagement events
Over the next two years, grant funds will be used to train DHS employees and representatives from communities served by DHS programs to co-lead events to discuss equity priorities and solutions.
Community engagement efforts aimed at addressing two issues identified by CECLC:
Disparities or differential outcomes for populations of color, both in who gets access to or involuntarily forced into services, and then, once receiving services, having less successful outcomes from the services provided.
The limited meaningful involvement of the communities being served in the design of the programs intended to support them.

13. Community engagement definitions
“The goals of community engagement are to build trust, enlist new resources and allies, create better communication, and improve overall health outcomes as successful projects evolve into lasting collaborations.” (CDC)
Community engagement occurs when there is a focus on building partnerships with communities through authentic "dialogue, leadership development, collaboration, and new models of organizing", with a commitment to "inclusion, impact, and innovation in solving public problems." (W.K. Kellogg Foundation)

14. Purpose of community engagement surveys
Gather baseline information about DHS’ preparedness to carry out community engagement.
Help inform work under Bush Community Innovation Grant as well as agency wide work.
Post-surveys will be conducted with each audience near the end of grant.

15. Health Equity Conference
Health Equity Leadership Institute April 15, 2016 called for making progress in reducing disparities for cultural and ethnic communities by embedding equity into policies and processes.
Attracted dozens of participants from health care organizations, public health, nonprofit agencies, cultural and ethnic communities and state agencies.
The fifth annual event was hosted by DHS, the Cultural and Ethnic Communities Leadership Council and the Minnesota Department of Health to celebrate Health Equity Month.

16. Health Equity Conference

17. Questions?
Antonia Wilcoxon Director of Community Relations or