2021 Colorado Code
Title 25 - Public Health and Environment
Article 4 - Disease Control
Part 22 - Health Disparities Grant Program
§ 25-4-2205. Powers and Duties of the Office of Health Equity

1. The purpose of the office is to serve in a coordinating, educating, and capacity-building role for state and local public health programs and community-based organizations promoting health equity in Colorado by implementing strategies tailored to address the varying complex causes of health disparities, including the economic, physical, and social environment. The office shall work collaboratively within the department and with affected stakeholders to set priorities, collect and disseminate data, and align resources within the department and across other state agencies.
2. The office has the following powers, duties, and functions:
   1. Administering and coordinating the health disparities and community grant program created in section 25-4-2203;
   2. Leading and coordinating the department's health equity efforts;
   3. Publishing data reports documenting health disparities;
   4. Providing education to the public on health equity, health disparities, and the social determinants of health;
   5. Coordinating the interpretation and translation services within the department and offering technical assistance to other state and local agencies;
   6. Building capacity within communities to offer or expand public health programs to better meet the needs of a diverse population;
   7. Conducting state-level strategic planning on minority health improvement;
   8. Providing technical assistance to the department in carrying out its programs and to county, district, and municipal public health agencies, community-based organizations, and communities in the state;
   9. Promoting workforce diversity within public health systems;
   10. Coordinating and staffing the health equity commission created in section 25-4-2206;
   11. Repealed.
   12. Building collaborative partnerships with communities to identify and promote health equity strategies; and
   13. Developing communications strategies regarding health equity. (2.5)
       1. On or before July 1, 2022, and continuing every two years thereafter, the department shall conduct an assessment and publish a report concerning health disparities and inequities in Colorado that includes an assessment of the impact of social determinants of health on health disparities and inequities and recommended strategies to begin to address such inequities. The department shall collaborate with the commission, community partners working on health equity issues, local public health agencies, stakeholders from affected communities, data organizations, and other state and local partners in the creation of the report. In addition to providing information to the public about the impact of health disparities and inequities on Coloradans, each state agency that has representation on the commission shall use the report in their plan as described in subsection (2.5)(b)(I) of this section. In each report after the first published report, the department shall report the progress made by the commission pursuant to subsection (2.5)(b) of this section to address the social determinants of health and the strategies used to address health disparities and inequities.
       2. Within six months after the publication of the first report required in subsection (2.5)(a) of this section:
          1. The governor shall convene the commission to conduct a strategic planning process and develop an equity strategic plan, to respond to the report, and to ensure that there is coordination in equity-related work across state agencies to address the social determinants of health in each agency's respective areas. The strategic planning process must include input from community stakeholders and policymakers. The department may collaborate with the health disparities and community grant program created in section 25-4-2203 to address issues identified by the equity strategic plan.
          2. Each member of the commission that represents a state agency shall develop a plan to address the social determinants of health relevant to that state agency as they affect health disparities and inequities. Each state agency shall dedicate up to twenty hours of staff time to the development and implementation of the equity strategic plan.

3. The office shall report to the executive director of the department or his or her designee, at the discretion of the executive director.

History. Source: L. 2007: Entire section added, p. 905, § 3, effective May 15. L. 2010: (2)(h) amended, (HB 10-1422), ch. 419, p. 2101, § 113, effective August 11. L. 2013: (1), IP(2), (2)(b), (2)(d), (2)(e), (2)(j), and (3) amended, (2)(k) repealed, and (2)(l) and (2)(m) added, (HB 13-1088), ch. 25, p. 61, § 5, effective August 7. L. 2021: (2)(a) amended and (2.5) added, (SB 21-181), ch. 429, p. 2841, § 5, effective July 6.