Rhode Island's Health Equity Zone (HEZ) Initiative
Mission
To build a healthy and resilient Rhode Island by investing in communities and their capacity to affect change; by honoring the expertise of those who live and work in those communities; and by challenging the systems and structures that perpetuate health inequities.
What we do
Create and fund opportunities for a diverse range of community members and partners to collaborate to build healthier, more resilient communities.
Provide technical assistance and oversight to geographically based Health Equity Zones as they form community collaboratives, conduct community assessments, prioritize community needs, and develop and evaluate action plans.
The HEZ Learning Community is the flagship training and technical assistance event, which convenes initiative stakeholders for shared learning on a regular basis. Complete this Health Equity Engagement Form if you are interested in presenting at a HEZ Learning Community.
Support innovative, community-led, place-based approaches to promote healthy communities, eliminate unjust health disparities, and enhance the socioeconomic and environmental conditions of neighborhoods across the state.
To connect with the local HEZ in your community, reach out to the Health Equity Zone contact listed on the HEZ Contact Information sheet.
Engage the community to reach identified public health goals. Complete this HEZ Engagement Form if you want to learn more about HEZ evaluation and assessment.
Accomplishments
Rhode Island’s Health Equity Zone initiative is a health equity-centered approach to prevention work that leverages place-based, community-led solutions to address the social determinants of health (SDoH).
Through a braided funding model, Rhode Island has invested more than $30 million in public health funding towards Health Equity Zones to develop sustainable infrastructure and support community-identified needs in order to positively impact the socioeconomic and environmental conditions driving disparities and improve health outcomes.
Supported the formation of 15 Health Equity Zone collaboratives in communities across Rhode Island.
Rhode Island Department of Health