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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE EFFORTS OF THE RACIAL EQUITY RAPID RESPONSE TEAM
WHEREAS, for over 180 years, Cook County Health (hereinafter, "CCH") provided and continues to provide health care to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, immigration status, sexual orientation, or ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, in addition to providing direct clinical care, CCH also works to identify and address social needs, including but not limited to food insecurity, housing instability, and justice involvement. Additionally, CCH has a long history of working to address structural and systemic racism and take an inclusive approach in its work; and
WHEREAS, CCH is a founding hospital member of West Side United, including Ascension Health, Lurie Children's Hospital, RUSH, Sinai Chicago, and UI Health. CCH was also a co-convenor of the Racial Equity Rapid Respond Team (hereinafter, "RERRT") at the request the City of Chicago Mayor's Office, under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot; and
WHEREAS, The RERRT centered racial equity in all its efforts to address the pandemic to save lives and alleviate further harm to Black and Latinx communities; and
WHEREAS, the RERRT became a model worth replicating in other cities, including New York City, struggling to address inequitable health outcomes, including and beyond COVID-19, and the systemic issues underpinning them; and
WHEREAS, The RERRT convened communities and formed coalitions between government agencies, health providers, and community organizations. The RERRT identified needs and disparities by gathering community insight, advocating for resources, championing reliable data and information, and promoting healthy behavior; and
WHEREAS, The RERRT partnered with twenty-one (21) healthcare providers to proactively reach out to patients in communities most impacted by COVID-19, contacting approximately 75,000 patients. Of those who provided race/ethnicity information, 48% self-identified as Black and 40% self-i...
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