title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
REQUESTING A MEETING OF THE COOK COUNTY HEALTH & HOSPITALS COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THE COOK COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH & COOK COUNTY HEALTH ANALYSES OF HEALTH OUTCOME DISPARITIES IN COOK COUNTY AND RECOMMENDED SOLUTIONS
WHEREAS, Chicago and Cook County has seen an unprecedented level of disparities in healthcare outcomes during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic especially in black and brown communities reflecting national data; and
WHEREAS, African Americans have been historically disproportionately impacted by some of the underlying conditions that have affected the severity of the virus, including chronic cardiovascular and kidney diseases, diabetes, asthma, and obesity; and
WHEREAS, this crisis has shined a light on the causes of these disparities, which are rooted in generations of systemic disadvantages in health care delivery and health care access in communities of color, and in African American communities in particular; and
WHEREAS, learning lessons from this crisis and how it has adversely affected the black and brown communities and other marginalized populations is necessary to avoid the dismal and unacceptable outcomes this pandemic has caused; and
WHEREAS, changes in demographics and migration patterns in Cook County have changed the landscape for healthcare needs and resulting outcomes; and
WHEREAS, Cook County has been experiencing what some call “reverse migration” over the last decade with African Americans leaving urban areas for the suburbs, especially the south suburbs; and
WHEREAS, Cook County also saw a significant increase in Hispanic populations; however, this increase was greatest in suburban Cook County; and
WHEREAS, coupled with these trends in migration patterns suburban Cook County witnessed dramatic rises in its poverty levels especially in the southern portion of the county; and
WHEREAS, due to past and current policies and discrimination, many minorities, even those with middle- and upper incomes experience healthcare disparities; and
WHEREAS, educational, health, environmental, and economic opportunities among other social determinants all play a role in health outcomes for children and adults alike; and
WHEREAS, among neighborhoods with very low opportunity, over 50 percent of Black and 31percent of Hispanic children live in very low opportunity neighborhoods in Cook County according to Child Opportunity Index data, which is a composite measure of neighborhood-based opportunities, at the census tract level, that influence children’s health and development; and
WHEREAS, these and other factors along with access to care all contribute to health outcome disparities in Cook County including for cardiovascular diseases mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, infant mortality rate, cancer mortality rate, asthma mortality rate, diabetes mortality rate, stroke mortality rate, etc.; and
WHEREAS, with the once in a lifetime opportunity created by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), it is paramount that a data driven strategy is created that coordinates the efforts of local, state and where appropriate federal government agencies and private sector partners in a targeted fashion that focuses funding efforts in areas that are most affected by lack of healthcare access, economic stagnation, urban decay, food deserts, and other structural barriers, which create the factors that can lead to health disparities; and
WHEREAS, it would be beneficial for the Cook County Public Health Department (CCDPH) and Cook County Health (CCH) to present a healthcare disparities analysis to the Cook County Board of Commissioners so that they can have a greater understanding of the challenges and needs of various communities throughout Cook County as it relates to health care access and health disparities and outcomes and present how the WePlan 2025 report and the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) will address them as well as how to align the CCH and CCDPH Strategic Plans and ARPA funding proposals to accomplish the goals set forth in the report;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby request that a meeting of the Health and Hospitals Committee be convened to discuss healthcare disparities existing in Cook County and the factors that affect them along with measures planned to improve healthcare access in affected communities or regions, and the evidence-based solutions to address health disparities and improve outcomes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Department of Public Health and Cook County Health should subsequently appear on a semi-annual basis before the committee to provide periodic updates on implementation progress of such solutions as outlined in the We Plan 2025 report and CCH and CCDPH Strategic plans, and provide recommendations/updates on the following topics:
1. The effectiveness of existing county policies centered around health equity and recommendations for additional changes or additions to said policies to enhance and improve outcomes and reduce health disparities.
2. Strategies that coordinate the efforts of local, state and where appropriate federal agencies in a targeted fashion that focuses said efforts in areas that are most affected by healthcare inequities in the City of Chicago and Suburban Cook County.
3. Recommend additional changes or additions to action plans to implement policies that further said coordinated strategies with the active involvement of residents, nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, and private partners.
4. Ensure a coordinated plan that aligns the Community Health Improvement Plan as outlined in the WePlan 2025 report and the CCH Strategic Plan and the CCDPH Strategic Plan to reduce healthcare disparities in minority and other marginalized populations in Cook County.
5. Recommend changes to current laws, rules or regulations that would improve healthcare outcomes in targeted sectors.
6. Recommend county programs or changes and additional programs that could make healthcare access more equitable in traditionally underserved and marginalized populations including expansion of CCH and CCDPH services.
7. Present data/ performance metrics of efforts in target areas to improve health equity and reduce disparities.
end