What are the Benefits of Focusing on it?

Did you know in Jefferson County

26% of the children are living in poverty?
2 African American's are unemployed for every white person unemployed?
There are 60,181  single family households 
The infant mortality rate is 33% Greater than the nation rate.

• Survey

• Join 90 Days to Wellness and Focus on Incorporating Health Equity into your organization 

• Resource Sheets

Faith-Based Organizations,  You—as a community member or member of an organization—can join the effort to ensure that all people have equitable access to resources to maintain and manage their physical and mental health, including easy access to important information, goods and services, and affordable medical and mental health care. Community- and faith-based organizations, employers, healthcare systems and providers, public health agencies, policymakers, and others play a key part in promoting fair access to health, improving opportunity, and ensuring all communities can thrive.

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Your Organization can promote health equity by adopting policies, programs, and practices that:

• Support equitable access to quality and affordable health and other social services (e.g., education, housing, transportation, child care) and accessibility within these services. 

• Recognize, respect, and support the diversity of the community they serve.

• Partner with trusted messengers and community health workers to share clear and accurate information tailored to a community’s languages, literacy levels, and cultures.

• Include community engagement efforts that can help strengthen partnerships between community members and public health entities, build trust, and promote social connection.

• Engage trusted leaders known by the community and who share the same race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and cultural or religious beliefs as the community to share information, collect input, or conduct outreach.

• Use clear, easy-to-read, accurate, transparent, and consistent information from a reputable source that is locally and culturally relevant in terms of language, messaging, tone, images, and format. Information should be suitable for diverse audiences, including people with disabilities, limited English proficiency, low literacy, or people who face other challenges accessing health information.

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5 THINGS YOU CAN DO WITHIN YOUR ORGANIZATION 

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1.  Help connect people with healthcare providers. 

Often times people need resources but don't know where to turn or whom to talk to. 

Create a directory of healthcare providers in your community that provide low-cost as well as free services. Make a list of list 5 and find out if they offer any screenings or educational seminars that can benefit your community. 

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2. Healthy Foods

Consider starting a food pantry program if you don't already have one. There are people in our communities from all walks of life. Many people you see week after week may be struggling with access to healthy food or simply not having enough. Over the next 90 days commit to locating 3-5 partners that you can connect with. Look to community gardens or farmers' markets. Build a list of community pantry programs and find a senior meals program that can be a resource. Host a healthy cooking class. Find 1 item to replace with a healthy alternative (ex. soda vs water) Get creative!

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3. Housing Programs

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Alabama lacks more than 73,000 homes for households with incomes below the federal poverty line ($26,500 for a family of four). That means many seniors, students, veterans, and people with low or fixed incomes in Alabama can’t afford a safe place to call home. And the pandemic only made the housing crisis worse. Creating a housing directory is a great way to get in touch with the needs of the people you serve. Housing affects everyone. 

(Identify 3-5 resources in the following areas)

• Rental Assistance

• Emergency Housing

• Affordable Housing

• Senior Housing

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4.  Physical Wellness 

Our body is truly our temple. Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.

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(Identify 3-5 resources in the following areas)

Connect with 3 health professionals to establish Wellness talks to cover topics such as: Screening days, Early detection - Benefits of Physical Fitness 

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• Create a Wellness Wednesday Program

• Create a walking group in that everyone can participate in

• Create a calendar of local agencies that provide free or low-income screenings and services for exams

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5. Mental Health 

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.  Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, poor mental health and mental illness are not the same. A person can experience poor mental health and not be diagnosed with a mental illness. Likewise, a person diagnosed with a mental illness can experience periods of physical, mental, and social well-being.

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• Provide education and training for staff to understand the difference between mental health and mental illness. 

• Dedicate a day that's focused on mental health. ( a day of prayer, and mediation) 

• Provide steps to reset and focus on one's self. 

• Create discussion groups that focus on the benefits to prioritizing this time 

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