HEALTH EQUITY CHARTER Adopted by the AOHC membership in June Board Presentation December 15,

How the Charter defines Health A state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being. Highest attainable standard of health = A fundamental human right Different populations (and individuals) have different health needs that must be recognized and respected. 2

How the Charter defines Health 3 Health Problems Access to resources and power PovertyRacism Ableism Other forms of social exclusion

What is the Charter? A commitment to action to recognize and confront barriers to equitable health  in our own practices  by other institutions and the broader community. 4 Address discrimination & oppression (through policy & action) Eradicating social inequality and disadvantage Reducing differences in health outcomes

The Commitment - Internally Prioritize populations with the greatest health need and least access to services. Involve communities in design & delivery of programs. Develop strategies to identify, name and confront oppressive practices internally. Reflect diversity of communities we serve in our volunteers, staff and Board. Evaluate our efforts with aim to improve. Use equity as a measure of quality. Share best practices and lessons learned. 5

The Commitment - Externally Collaborate to ensure health equity is an underlying goal of an integrated, high-performing health system, and contribute to building that system. Support & collaborate with community groups who challenge social conditions causing inequity. Advocate for public policy solutions proposed by communities to inequities. 6

To sign or not to sign… That is the question. 7 And if we sign the Charter:

Implementation Ideas 8  Board Health Equity Committee (oversight)  Framework for strategic planning  Board recruitment  Education: Board and staff  Increasing use of translation and interpretation across organization  Quality improvement  Comparing indicators across income groups  Staff participation in CAMH Anti- Stigma/Discrimination research project  Colleting new socio-demographic indicators