The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Health Equity (OHE), in collaboration with creative agency Penna Powers, recently produced an explainer video about the health equity pathways framework.
DHHS OHE publishes Utah Health Improvement Index 2022 update
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Health Equity (OHE) has published the Utah Health Improvement Index 2022 update, a critical tool in measuring health equity by geography. In 2018, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) published the first Utah Health Improvement Index (HII), and in 2022, the Utah HII was updated with more recent data. …
CCP project releases Phase 4 interim report
The COVID Community Partnership (CCP) project has released its Phase 4 interim report, which outlines progress from August 2021 through March 2022. Click here to view the report. The CCP project launched in May 2020 to address disparities in COVID-19 related health outcomes among under-resourced communities in Utah. The CCP project employs community health workers (CHWs) from diverse communities throughout …
Utah commemorates Juneteenth with events and festivities
For more than 150 years, Juneteeth has been celebrated across the country to commemorate the day enslaved Black Americans in Texas first learned of their emancipation by the proclamation made by Abraham Lincoln. Since then, Juneteenth has become a time to celebrate the experience and pursuit of freedom and unity. In 2022, Governor Spencer J. Cox signed a law to make Juneteenth National Freedom Day …
OHE in the News: OHE Presents at Maternal Mental Health Policy Briefing
On Tuesday, May 17, the Office of Health Equity presented research findings as part of a maternal mental health policy briefing. Ban Naes, Health Equity Program Specialist of the Embrace Project, spoke alongside state leaders and representatives from community-based organizations to promote awareness of maternal mental health disparities among minority women in Utah. Following the series of presentations, Governor Spencer …
OHE visits Bear River, Tooele County, and Salt Lake County health departments
Throughout the month of April, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services Office of Health Equity (OHE) met with the Health Equity and COVID-19 Community Partnerships Project teams from three local health departments: Bear River, Tooele County, and Salt Lake County. These visits provided an opportunity to learn more about the specific needs and challenges their respective communities face. …
Governor Cox Signs Bills Focused on Inclusion and Opportunity
On April 18 at a special ceremony in Salt Lake City, Governor Spencer Cox signed a series of bills focused on inclusion and opportunity for Utahns: SB 216: Modification to Driver License Examination Starting in January 2023, the written test for a Utah driver license will be made available in five languages besides English. Sponsored by State Senator Luz Escamilla, …
April is National Minority Health Month
Every April, the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) observes National Minority Health Month to highlight the importance of efforts to improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities and reduce health disparities. This year’s theme for National Minority Health Month is Give Your Community a Boost! The theme focuses on the continued importance of COVID-19 vaccination, including boosters, as …
Welcome to the New Office of Health Equity Website!
The Office of Health Equity (OHE) is thrilled to announce the launch of its new website! OHE partnered with the Department of Government Operations, Division of Technology Services (DTS) over the last four months to develop the designs and content that you see today. Within this website you will find information related to OHE’s response to COVID-19, various health equity …