Section 6A:16AA - [Multiple versions] Office of health equity(a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:- "Disparities", differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific racial and ethnic groups.
"Office", the office of health equity.
(b) There shall be an office of health equity within the executive office of health and human services. The office shall be under the supervision and control of a director of health equity who shall be appointed by and shall report to the secretary of health and human services. The health disparities council established in section 16O shall serve as an advisory board to the office.(c) The office shall coordinate all activities of the commonwealth to eliminate racial and ethnic health and health care disparities. The office shall set goals for the reduction of disparities and prepare an annual plan for the commonwealth to eliminate disparities.(d) The office shall collaborate with the executive offices and state agencies on disparities reduction initiatives to address the social factors that influence health inequality. The executive offices shall include, but not be limited to, the executive office of health and human services, the executive office of housing and livable communities, the executive office of public safety and security, the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the executive office of labor and workforce development and the executive office of education. The office shall facilitate communication and partnership between these executive offices and agencies to develop greater understanding of the intersections between agency activities and health outcomes. The office shall facilitate the development of interagency initiatives to address the social and economic determinants of health disparity issues including, but not limited to: (i) health care access and quality;(ii) housing availability and quality;(iii) transportation availability, location and cost;(iv) community policing and safe spaces;(v) air, water, and land usage and quality;(vi) employment and workforce development; and(vii) education access and quality.(e) The office shall evaluate the effectiveness of programs and interventions to eliminate health disparities, identifying best practices and model programs for the commonwealth.(f) The office shall prepare an annual health disparities report. The report shall evaluate the progress of the commonwealth toward eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities using, where possible, quantifiable measures and comparative benchmarks and, where possible, shall detail such progress on a regional basis. The office shall hold public hearings in several regions of the commonwealth to gather public information on the topics of the report. The report shall be filed with the governor, the clerks of the house of representatives and senate, the members of the health disparities council and the health policy commission not later than July 1. The report shall be posted on the official website of the commonwealth.Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6A, § 16AA
Amended by Acts 2023, c. 7,§ 25, eff. 6/3/2023.Added by Acts 2018, c. 154,§ 7, eff. 7/1/2018.This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.