Our vision: A safe and healthy Kitsap County for all.
Equity
Health Equity Resources
How We Advance Equity
Health Equity Collaborative
Equity Events Calendar
Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis
On May 4, 2021, the Kitsap Public Health Board adopted a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. Resolution 2021-01 commits the Health Board and Kitsap Public Health District to taking specific, meaningful actions to address institutionalized and systemic racism.
Learn more:
About anti-racism declarations
Across the country, a growing number of government agencies are declaring racism a public health crisis or emergency. These declarations are an important first step in the movement to advance racial equity and justice and must be followed by allocation of resources and strategic action. To learn more, and see a map of declarations in the United States, visit the American Public Health Association declaration page.
In 2019, the Washington State Department of Health issued Directive 19-01 reaffirming DOH's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural humility.
In 2022, the Washington State Public Health Association passed a resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis.
Our role in advancing health equity
Our mission is to prevent disease and protect and promote the health of all persons in Kitsap County. To help fulfill our mission, we compile and share data that show health outcomes and disparities, engage with community members that experience barriers to health, and advocate for health equity.
Other ways Kitsap Public Health promotes equity include:
Implement and evaluate our initiatives as outlined in Board Resolution 2021-01, Declaring Racism as a Public Health Crisis.
Build relationships with communities experiencing health inequities.
Use inclusive language and communication methods to promote health equity within Kitsap Public Health and with our community.
We are working to create a process and assessment tool for reviewing our policies, procedures, and processes to ensure they promote equity and racial justice. We have adopted definitions in the Public Health Accreditation Board’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Antiracism Glossary of Terms.
Kitsap Public Health District is a member of the Government Alliance for Race and Equity (GARE), a national network of governmental agencies working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all.
June 2020 Letter to Community
Kitsap Public Health District leadership published an open letter to the community following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Read the letter here.
What is Equity?
Equity ensures that each individual has what they need, recognizing their individual barriers, circumstances, and conditions.
Illustrations reproduced with permission of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, N.J.
Equity events calendar
This calendar includes upcoming events that support equity and celebrate diversity in our community. Click on an event to learn more. To submit an event for inclusion, please email equity@kitsappublichealth.org
Diversity at Kitsap Public Health
How We Advance Equity
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