Alameda County Department of Public Health, California: Building Internal and External Capacity to Address Inequities in Health

Alameda County, California experiences severe disparities in health outcomes and related disparities in education, poverty level, and housing. The depth of these disparities was first documented in the Alameda County Health Status Report (CHSR) 2000, and reiterated in the subsequent 2003 and 2006 Status Reports. Data from the CHSRs have sparked debate among residents and policy makers, and guided the Alameda County Public Health Department leadership to accelerate conversations about broadening the department's efforts to work more closely with community partners to address the social conditions that create health inequities. Funding for this report was provided by Public Health Foundation.

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Coalition to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning: Making Lead History in Western New York State - Monroe County, New York

In Western New York State's Monroe County, like in other New York counties, the rate of childhood lead poisoning was alarming, especially among low-income children. In response, the Coalition to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning was established in 2000 with a mission to "end childhood lead poisoning in Monroe County in 2010". Recognized by then-U.S. Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton as a "national model" for reducing childhood lead poisoning, the county coalition's efforts have cut childhood lead poisoning rates by 72% in eight years.

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Eliminating social and economic barriers to good health and safety: Louisville Center for Health Equity

African Americans in Louisville, Kentucky, as in the rest of the U.S., experience greater health inequities compared to other racial and ethnic groups. This population, in particular, disproportionately experiences illness, violence-related injuries and premature death. In response, the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness's Center for Health Equity is tracing the pathway from illness and injury to the community conditions, norms and root factors that lead to poor health and inequity in the first place. By building capacity among historically disenfranchised neighborhoods, CHE is leading an urban movement to promote equal opportunities for health and safety.

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Chicago’s Legislation to Limit Restrictive Land-Use Covenants

Believed to be the first ordinance of its kind, Chicago's legislation to limit restrictive land-use covenants prevents supermarkets and drugstores from restricting future use of vacated property in the event of store closures. This ordinance holds great promise to prevent neighborhood blight and promote residents' continued access to fresh, healthy food retailers.

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Diggs Town Public Housing Redevelopment Project: Norfolk, Virginia

In 1990, the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) began to redevelop Diggs Town, a large low-income public housing project in Norfolk, Virginia. The Diggs Town Public Housing Redevelopment Project improved public safety, fostered a sense of pride in common spaces, and integrated social services into the community.

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LIFETIME: Oakland, California

LIFETIME is a non-profit organization based in Oakland, California that assists single mothers on welfare to obtain higher education and remain off of welfare and out of poverty permanently.

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