CHA Diversity & Health Disparities Networking Call
On May 15, CHA hosted a networking call to share what Catholic health care facilities and systems are doing to address health disparities in the context of COVID-19, including outreach to communities, data collection, access to testing and treatment and building trust in communities suspicious of the health care system. Listen to the recording.  

CMS COVID-19 Medicare Update
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released its first monthly update of data on the impact of COVID-19 on the Medicare population. The new data include for the first time information on American Indian/Alaskan Native Medicare beneficiaries, who have the second highest rate of hospitalization for COVID-19 among racial/ethnic groups after Blacks. Black beneficiaries continue to be hospitalized at higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups, with 670 hospitalizations per 100,000 beneficiaries. Access more information on the Medicare COVID-19 data.  

County Health Rankings — New COVID-19 Web Page
While the County Health Rankings do not measure coronavirus cases nor rank risk of the virus spreading in communities, Rankings data are helpful in providing local context on factors that impact health. Gaps in health persist by place and race. These gaps are due to a long legacy of American policies, practices, systems, and budgets that advantage some people and disadvantage others. Rankings factors such as housing, access to medical care and unemployment provide a better understanding of community context and the places and people that could be most affected by the coronavirus epidemic. County Health Rankings has developed a resource page that contains a county-level data-mapping project in collaboration with the University of Chicago. Resources include a special webinar series, Health Equity and Social Solidarity in the Time of Pandemic: Strategies for COVID-19 Response and Recovery, featured COVID-19-curated What Works for Health strategies and community stories. Find out more.

COVID-19 and Rural Communities
Two websites provide information on COVID-19 targeted to rural communities:
The Rural Health Information Hub – Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 Guide includes information on resources, events and news related to COVID-19. Access the site.

The National Rural Health Association has launched a COVID-19 Technical Assistance Center to provide strategic steps that will lend support and address the needs of rural health care providers and organizations. NRHA will assess and triage needs from across the country to ensure that rural communities are equipped with the necessary knowledge, connections, and resources throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Access the site.  

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: A Framework for Equitable Allocation of Vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus
An ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the National Academy of Medicine will develop an overarching framework for vaccine allocation to assist policymakers in the domestic and global health communities in planning for equitable allocation of COVID-19 vaccines, taking into account factors such as population health disparities; individuals at higher risk because of health status, occupation, or living conditions; and geographic distribution of active virus spread. The committee will meet several times over the next month with some sessions open to the public. Access more information and receive updates on this activity.

Kaiser Family Foundation: Health Disparities are a Symptom of Broader Social and Economic Inequities
The COVID-19 pandemic and killing of George Floyd along with other recent deaths of Black people at the hands of police have laid bare stark structural and systemic racial inequities and their impacts on the health and well-being of individuals and communities. While these events have brought health and health care disparities into sharp focus for the media and public, they are not new. This brief analyzes data on health disparities and the broader social and economic inequities that are the symptom of health disparities related to COVID-19. Read the brief.

National Academy of Medicine: Health Equity and COVID-19 Resources
The National Academy of Medicine has established a collection of resources addressing the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on communities of color. Access the collection.

JAMA Network: COVID-19 Collection
The JAMA Network COVID-19 collection includes Q&A's with NIAID's Dr. Anthony Fauci, an interactive map of the outbreak courtesy of The Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and past publications on vaccine development, infection control, and public health preparedness. Browse the collection.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Coronavirus Disease 2019
This webpage continues to offer daily updated information regarding the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S by state or territory, cases in the U.S. by date reported and demographic characteristics of cases in the U.S. Explore the page.

Archived Workshop Recording: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering and Medicine: COVID-19 and Black Communities
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering and Medicine was established to examine the range of barriers facing black men and black women in pursuit of careers in science, engineering and medicine, with the goal of proposing actionable solutions that remove those barriers and create the type of systemic change necessary for black men and black women to thrive in those fields. African Americans are dying from COVID-19 at higher rates than whites though only making up a smaller percentage of the population. The pandemic has highlighted health inequities that have existed for many years. In June, the Roundtable convened a workshop that explored the factors driving health disparities and health inequities in COVID-19 and what can be done to remedy them. Watch a recording of the workshop. 

Archived Podcast: Association of American Medical Colleges: Racial Health Disparities: How COVID-19 Magnified a Public Health Emergency
The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the health disparities in America's communities of color in such dramatic fashion that racism is now seen as a public health emergency. David Skorton, AAMC President and CEO, and Malika Fair, MD, Senior Director of Health Equity Partnerships and Programs at the AAMC, discuss what forces are driving the disparities in health care access, how physicians can work to acknowledge and address racism against Black Americans, and what the academic medicine community can do to address institutional and systemic racism. Read transcript or listen to the podcast.

Archived Webinar: Alliance for Health Policy: COVID-19 Webinar Series Session 18 – Health Inequities: Addressing the Disease Burden in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Communities
This COVID-19 Webinar Series synthesizes information in the headlines to provide cohesive insight into the status of the response and remaining gaps in the system that must be addressed to limit the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. During this webinar, speakers examined the following learning goals: the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities in the U.S.; the drivers of these disparities; and short- and long-term policy options to advance equity and improve COVID-19 outcomes. View the webinar recording and learn more.

Archived Webinar: CDC Center for Preparedness and Response: Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity - Applying COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Strategies in Nursing Homes
Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity's (COCA) most recent call used case-based scenarios to show how to apply infection prevention and control guidance for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that are preparing for and responding to COVID-19. Listen to recording.

Archived Webinars: COVID 19 Conversations: COVID 19 Testing: Possibilities, Challenges, and Ensuring Equity
The American Public Health Association and the National Academy of Medicine are hosting a series of webinars on topics surrounding the current outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States and globally, with a focus on the emerging evidence on how to best mitigate its impact. Access the recordings and learn about upcoming webinars.

Achieved Webinar: Salud America! "How to Use Place-Based Data to Promote Health Equity During COVID-19 Pandemic"
The Salud America! Health Equity Report Card generates county-level housing, transit, health care, and data on other social factors that affect the health of Latino children and families. A recent webinar addressed how the report card can help identify and address health inequities in a community, which are being exposed and exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. View the recording.  

Archived Webinar: Root Cause Coalition: How to Use Data to Deploy Resources to Vulnerable Populations for COVID-19
The Root Cause Coalition's webinar, How To Use Data to Deploy Resources to Vulnerable Populations for COVID-19, explored how the Maryland Department of Health's Task Force on Vulnerable Populations for COVID-19 is implementing a data-driven approach to identifying communities and individuals at highest risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 and using that information to guide the deployment of outreach and resources through public-private partnerships. Review the slides.

Archived Webinar: The Century Foundation - Racism and Inequality in the Face of COVID-19: Viruses Don't Discriminate, But We Do
The COVID-19 global pandemic has wreaked havoc on the lives of millions of people. While no one is immune to this pandemic, communities of color have been hit hardest due to long-standing racial inequality in the United States. COVID-19 is not only highlighting inequality in America, it is exacerbating entrenched racial and ethnic disparities that have been in our society for centuries. This webinar featured a discussion between Danyelle Solomon, Vice President, Race and Ethnicity Policy at the Center for American Progress, Joia Crear-Perry, Founder and President at the National Birth Equity Collaborative, Derrick Beetso, General Counsel at the National Congress of American Indians, and Jamila Taylor, Director of Health Care Reform and Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation. View the recording.

Events

National Association of Health Services Executives 35th Annual Educational Conference
Due to the coronavirus, NAHSE will not be convening the in-person 35th Annual Education Conference scheduled for October 2020. Instead, NAHSE will host a series of virtual gatherings during August through December with familiar conference programming such as a Public Policy Forum, Women's and Men's Forums, and the Diversity Forum. The Everett V. Fox Student Case Competition will take place virtually, as will career track specific programming for Early Careerists, Mid-level professionals, and C-Suite executives. Please check the NAHSE website for more information.

Webinar: NIHCM Foundation Systemic Racism & Health: Solutions, Making Change Happen
Aug. 11, 2020 | 1 - 2 p.m. ET
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on the impact of systemic racism on the health of Black Americans. Long-standing social and economic inequities have contributed to multiple social determinants of health that increase the risk of getting or dying from COVID-19. This webinar will discuss how systemic racism harms health, and how solutions-based approaches at the state and community level are making a difference.  Dr. Camara Jones of Emory University and Morehouse School of Medicine and other speakers will address systemic racism, public health and community-based approaches to reducing health disparities. Access more information and register.

Webinar:  NIHCM Foundation - Environmental Health: Air Pollution, COVID-19 & Health Disparities
Aug. 21, 2020 | Noon - 1 p.m. ET
Researchers in the U.S. have suggested air pollution has significantly worsened the COVID-19 pandemic and potentially led to more deaths than if pollution-free skies were the norm. This webinar will explore how different neighborhoods in the same city can have vastly different air quality and what that means for their residents' short- and long-term health outcomes. Speakers will discuss how neighborhoods experiencing environmental injustice face poorer air quality and extreme heat while also bearing the brunt of this pandemic.  Learn more and register.

CHA Diversity & Health Disparities Networking Zoom Meeting
Sept. 16, 2020
1 – 2 p.m. ET
Join us for a networking Zoom meeting for CHA members working to address the issues of diversity, health disparities and health equity. If you have a program to highlight or a discussion topic to suggest for the agenda, please contact Kathy Curran, CHA senior director, public policy. Look for an email with more information three to four weeks before the call.

National Rural Health Association
Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences
Sept. 22 – 23, 2020
NRHA's Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences will be held in Kansas City, Mo. This conference offers attendees the opportunity to meet with peers and experts who share the same unique concerns and is created for anyone with an interest in rural health care. Register here.

National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health
Oct. 5 – 7, 2020
1 – 4:30 p.m. ET each day
The Root Cause Coalition's Fifth National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health will be held virtually Oct. 5 – 7. The event will bring together representatives from health care, community and faith-based organizations, researchers, government leaders, educators and businesses to share best practices, offer community connections and resources and engage in the crucial discussion of how to best address the social determinants of health. The importance of addressing the social determinants of health and working toward health equity in our country has emerged even more clearly than ever during the COVID-19 crisis.  Access more information and register.

REPORTS AND RESOURCES

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – Providing Language Services to Diverse Populations: Lessons From the Field & Guide to Developing a Language Access Plan
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been working to gain a better understanding of who its beneficiaries with language assistance needs are, identify their needs, and determine how those needs are currently being met. To understand how different health care organizations are meeting the language assistance needs of patients in different health settings CMS interviewed eight health care organizations about processes to provide language assistance services, how language services are provided, best practices for the provision of language assistance services, and challenges providing language assistance services for their patients with limited English proficiency. View the findings.

Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute – Rural Health Highlights
Around 46 million Americans live in rural areas, and often have difficulty obtaining needed health care services. Remote location, economic, cultural, educational and social factors all combine to create a range of health challenges for these populations. Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funds research and engagement projects that are addressing Rural Health challenges. View research and engagement projects.

Achieved Webinar: Association of American Medical Colleges Maternal Health Equity Webinar Series
The third and final installment of the three-part AAMC Maternal Health Equity Webinar Series focused on the maternal health disparities faced by refugee women. This webinar featured Dr. Crista Johnson-Agbakwu, founding director of the Refugee Women's Clinic at Valleywise Health, and provided an overview of the global refugee crisis with special attention to the vulnerabilities faced by refugee women and the challenges providers face in the delivery of high quality culturally competent care. Access recordings of the series.

RECENT NEWS ARTICLES

For recent news articles, please visit our website www.chausa.org/disparities/overview.

News about disparities and COVID-19 can also be found on CHA's Coronavirus Resources page: www.chausa.org/newsroom/coronavirus-resources/

PRAYERS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

View a collection of prayers relative to the pandemic.

If you have any prayers or reflections to share with the ministry, please share them with CHA.