The Compact held a community engagement forum in New Bedford, Massachusetts on November 1st 2022. Read more about the event here! Check out the event takeaways and call to action! You can read it in English or Spanish.

The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts partnered with the Health Equity Compact and Health Law Advocates to host a breakfast in Worcester, “Centering Health Equity Here in Central Massachusetts.” Click here to read more.

The Compact held its first event in the virtual series Coffee with the Compact, which connects elected officials and community and faith based leaders in the region to the work and purpose of the Health Equity Compact. For the Northeast event, we partnered with Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lowell Community Health Center, Lynn Community Health Center, and Lawrence General Hospital. We were pleased to be joined by Senator Pavel Payano, one of the lead legislative sponsors of An Act to Advance Health Equity. It was a fantastic event with over 50 leaders in attendance.

The Compact was featured in the ‘Health Equity: We Can Take Action Now!’ Network Night. This event was hosted in partnership with Codman Square Health Center and Union Capital Boston, and was led by Compact member Sandra Cotterell and Dr. Renee Chrichlow. A total of 160 community members participated in this invigorating and energizing virtual night of discussion, fostering transformative connections for transformative change.
Watch the Facebook Live recording here.

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) hosted a symposium examining the challenges, innovations, and key learnings that emerged through COVID-19, and highlighted the importance of partnerships and policy-driven equity solutions. Many Compact members served as panelists in the discussions on Novel Strategies to Advance Health Care Equity and Health Justice and Policy, Partnerships, and the Future.

Opening Remarks- Bisola Ojikutu, MD, MPH, FIDSA
Commissioner of Public Health, City of Boston &
Executive Director, Boston Public Health Commission
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“Fireside" Chat: Health Equity and Policy Path Forward
Kate Walsh, Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services
Bisola Ojikutu, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Boston Public Health Commission
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Novel Strategies to Advance Health Care Equity and Health Justice
Panelists:
Charles Anderson, MD, MPH, MBA, The Dimock Center
Joseph Betancourt, MD, The Commonwealth Fund
Thea James, MD, MPH, MBA, Boston Medical Center
Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD, MBA, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
David Williams, PhD, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
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Policy, Partnerships, and the Future
Panelists:
Bisola Ojikutu, MD MPH, FIDSA, Boston Public Health Commission
Michael Curry, JD, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Health Equity Compact
Juan Fernando Lopera, Beth Israel Lahey Health
Liz Miranda, Massachusetts State Senator
Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, Mass General Brigham

On May 3, we hosted the Northeastern Massachusetts Health Equity Forum alongside the region’s top providers: the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lynn Community Health Center, Lawrence General Hospital and the Lowell Community Health Center.

Community members joined Compact leaders Guy Fish, MD Eduardo Haddad MD, Sheila Och, Carlos F. Cappas, PsyD, MBA and Rosa M. Colon-Kolacko, PhD. MBA, CDM, SHRM-SCP for a discussion in English and Spanish around the systemic obstacles that perpetuate racial and ethnic health disparities in our neighborhoods. Together, we explored actionable solutions to close the gaps on an institutional, governmental and community level – including a discussion of our bill, An Act to Advance Health Equity.

Many thanks to the Lawrence Senior Center for having us and for helping us to elevate health equity in Northeast Massachusetts. And a special thanks to bill sponsor Pavel Payano for attending and for his ongoing support of the Compact’s efforts to eradicate health inequities in our communities

The Coalition for Better Acre is presenting a Community Health Outreach Program (CHOP) dinner featuring the Health Equity Compact. All are invited! We hope to see you at the Lowell Senior Center on Wednesday, May 24, 5:30-7:00 pm!