The San Diego County COVID-19 Equity Task Force, established in March 2020 and led by the Multicultural Health Foundation, was created to help implement strategies to address the disproportionately negative impact COVID-19 was having on Southeastern San Diego and other impacted communities of color. Together, they created blackcovidfactssd.org, a collaborative of local Black leaders, doctors, & local community groups, tasked with the job of bringing COVID-19 facts to the Black community – a group with historically higher levels vaccine hesitancy.

National Conflict Resolution Center recognized The San Diego Foundation during their annual Peacemaker Awards for their leadership in creating the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund, which granted $64 million through 387 grants to 250 nonprofit partners who provided services to 2.3 million residents.

Fund awardees include:

HealthRIGHT 360 – $20,000 to provide personal protective equipment and meal preparation, and to conduct telehealth services for outpatient clients and COVID testing at congregate living sites

Alzheimer’s San Diego – $25,000 to provide dementia-specific services with experts, including education, support groups and virtual social activities

Hannah’s Family Center – $50,000 for relationship support and abuse prevention for children involved in Family Court

San Ysidro Health – $100,000 for bilingual telemedicine services, COVID-19 testing and referrals, personal protective equipment, and food for children and seniors

YMCA of San Diego County – $1,000,000 to safely reopen 13 camp locations across the County and provide nearly 1,000 under-resourced families and children with cost-free access.

Elizabeth Hospice – $176,515 for COVID-compliant critical care and grief counseling services including pediatric patients

The healthcare community is working to create change within their systems. They are sharing resources and best practices, listening and learning from patients and colleagues, and examining implicit bias and policies to improve the health and safety of their community. Anthem Blue Cross reminds us that an important aspect of health equity for marginalized people is the diversity and cultural competency of healthcare professionals. Culturally competent care is defined as the delivery of care within the context of appropriate physician knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of cultural distinctions leading to optimal health outcomes.

Education and training in culturally responsive practices can lead to a dismantling of health inequities and disparities in healthcare. The American Academy of Pediatrics is working to improve their understanding of the effects of racism on child and family well-being and how they can play a role in dismantling racist systems. They created a repository of anti-racism resources as a starting point for its members. Kaiser Permanente has evolved their approach to advancing health equity using data-driven strategy. They have shown that efforts to provide culturally responsive, equitable care; addressing social needs; supporting social justice; and working to dismantle racism have seen positive results in improving outcomes for all patients. While disparities in many areas have narrowed, their research shows that gaps still do persist and need to be addressed. Bastyr University provides courses and mentorship opportunities that educate about social justice and promote culturally responsive practices in healthcare and advances health access and equity. Funded by a 5-year $10 million endowment from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, San Diego State University HealthLink is a multi-college effort that is helping SDSU build its infrastructure to support population health and health disparities research.

Opening a dialogue between peers can also offer insight on how to solve health inequity. The Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine’s Black, Indigenous and People of Color Task Force held an online forum to have Critical Conversations about Racism in the Integrative Community.  Optum has also developed their C-Suite Insights which are conversations with health care executives to drive change in the industry. Their latest panel discussion addresses real world scenarios for making progress towards health equity.

Alliance Healthcare Foundation continues to work with their active Innovation Initiative (i2) grantees who are creating sustainable, transformational health & wellness programs and services through their innovations. One recent example is from Somali Family Service which has been working on new ways to increase vaccine understanding and acceptance.

With black babies being 60% more likely to be pre-mature due to discrimination, the Black Legacy Now campaign was launched in partnership with the County of San Diego; American Academy of Pediatrics, CA Chapter 3; March of Dimes; Neighborhood House Association; North County Health Services; Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest; Project Concern International; Rady Children’s Hospital; and other community partners, to improve health outcomes for Black babies and their mothers in the region.

Nearly two-thirds of low-income people with periods in the U.S. report having been unable to afford menstrual products during the previous year. The Free4ME pilot program was developed in partnership with local community leaders including Youth Will, Planned Parenthood, the County of San Diego, and the new Live Well San Diego Youth Sector, to address menstrual equity by providing free, organic menstrual products in 24 County of San Diego facilities.