Bill > S608

This bill establishes an "office of health equity" within the executive office of health and human services, tasked with coordinating the Commonwealth's efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities, which are defined as differences in disease incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden among specific racial and ethnic groups. This new office will be led by a director who reports directly to the secretary of health and human services, and it will be advised by the existing health disparities council. The office will be responsible for setting goals to reduce these disparities, preparing an annual plan, and collaborating with various state agencies, including those focused on housing, public safety, energy, transportation, labor, and education, to address social factors influencing health inequality, such as access to healthcare, housing, transportation, and education. Furthermore, the office will evaluate the effectiveness of programs aimed at reducing disparities and will be required to prepare a "disparities impact statement" for major state initiatives affecting residents' health, assessing their potential positive or negative effects on reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. Finally, the bill mandates the creation of an annual "health disparities report card" to track the Commonwealth's progress in eliminating these disparities, which will include public hearings and be delivered to key government officials and made publicly available.