NATIONAL INNITIATIVE TO ADDRESS COVID-19 HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG POPULATIONS AT HIGH -RISK AND UNDERSERVED, INCLUDING RACIAL AND ETHINIC MINORITY POPULATIONS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES - THE DEPARTMENT?S COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES PRE-DATED THE GLOBAL COVID-19 EPIDEMIC. THE 2014 STRATEGIC PLAN, THE VERMONT STATE HEALTH ASSESSMENT 2018 (SHA) AND THE STATE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2019-2023 (SHIP) ALL EXPLICITLY EXAMINE AND ADDRESS HEALTH INEQUITIES BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, GENDER, AGE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABILITY, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND GEOGRAPHY. THESE EFFORTS WERE DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A STEERING COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF MULTIPLE AGENCIES WITHIN STATE GOVERNMENT, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, STATEWIDE NON-PROFITS, AND ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN ADDRESSING HEALTH AND EQUITY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.THE PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED AND EXACERBATED KNOWN DISPA

Summary

NATIONAL INNITIATIVE TO ADDRESS COVID-19 HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG POPULATIONS AT HIGH -RISK AND UNDERSERVED, INCLUDING RACIAL AND ETHINIC MINORITY POPULATIONS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES - THE DEPARTMENT?S COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES PRE-DATED THE GLOBAL COVID-19 EPIDEMIC. THE 2014 STRATEGIC PLAN, THE VERMONT STATE HEALTH ASSESSMENT 2018 (SHA) AND THE STATE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2019-2023 (SHIP) ALL EXPLICITLY EXAMINE AND ADDRESS HEALTH INEQUITIES BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, GENDER, AGE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABILITY, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND GEOGRAPHY. THESE EFFORTS WERE DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A STEERING COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF MULTIPLE AGENCIES WITHIN STATE GOVERNMENT, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, STATEWIDE NON-PROFITS, AND ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN ADDRESSING HEALTH AND EQUITY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.THE PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED AND EXACERBATED KNOWN DISPA