OC racism is a public health crisis

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By Dianne Anderson

Since George Floyd sparked a national structural racism awakening, money has been flowing from above, federal, state, county and city to address inequality, especially in areas of health.

Since 2019, when the American Public Health Association drew attention to the health impact of being Black in America, 257 cities and counties have signed on to declare racism a public health crisis across America. .

Orange County is now among the last to board.

As Black people continue to experience the highest hate crime victims of any other group, along with similar impacts on health disparities, Asian Americans are also seeing a surge in hate incidents. since COVID-19.

Earlier this month, that hatred flared at the county board meeting when a member of the public shouted Back to China at the director of the Orange County health care agency. , Dr Clayton Chau, as he thanked the board for passing the resolution declaring racism a health crisis.

To whom Republican Supervisor Andrew Do spoke: “Really, go back to China? And you think racism is dead. Truly?”

Director Doug Chaffee, Fourth District Supervisor and Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, said the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has been working on evaluating policies, procedures and practices to support equity, diversity and inclusion.

Chaffee said HCA stands ready to support the Council of Oversight Offices, OC Community Resources (OCCR), and other stakeholders to identify and design a countywide strategy and action plan. The plan is to assess the policies, procedures and practices of the Oranges County department and agency in support of the declaration and to ensure that racial and health equity are essential elements of the county’s work. Orange.

Through their work with the Equity in OC initiative, he said they will continue to fight racism when it comes to accessing care.

The Declaration aims to raise awareness of the anti-hate activities that have taken place in the county over the years, particularly the endemic hate over the past two years, he said in an email. With increased awareness, more work can be done to counter anti-hate activities.

The collaboration includes organizing the OC Human Relations Commission which provides intergroup and violence prevention programs in schools and conflict resolution programs and intergroup relations initiatives in communities throughout the county. ‘Orange. OC and HCA Community Resources will also provide subject matter expertise services to the public.

Because black people have been regularly targeted by racial hatred, he said efforts were already underway to work, fund and support black groups and BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color) to address the crisis of public health before the county passed the recent resolution.

In June 2021, the OC Health Care Agency received a nearly $23 million grant from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to address COVID-19 health disparities in high-risk and underserved populations. , which lays the foundation for dealing with future pandemics. .

HCA used the CDC grant to form the Equity in OC initiative, which advances health equity by bringing together 150 cross-sector, non-traditional, and traditional community organizations that have been historically underserved and underrepresented to address the social conditions that contribute to inequalities and create solutions that close these equity gaps, he said.

As part of the Equity in OC initiative, six population health equity collectives have been formed to address inequities, including Black/African American, IPA, Latinx, LGTBQ+, seniors and People with Disabilities.

The Initiative also builds the capacity of BIPOC organizations through various community building and funding opportunities, including the Empowerment Fund, Organizational Participation Grants, and Social Determinants of Health Implementation Grants.

For years, black people have struggled with the highest rates of health disparities, generally compared to all other groups.

Orange County resident Darlene Futrel said anti-Black racism is a health crisis, but to her knowledge, she is not aware of nonprofits in the county exclusively funded to target the black community for services.

Futrel, president of the Orange County National Action Network, said more funding needs to specifically target the black population because they are the most targeted for hate crimes and the greatest health inequities.

Other groups regularly receive funding targeting their particular race and community, she said, adding that’s exactly how it should be. But, she pointed out, the black community has been marginalized for 400 years and this has serious health consequences.

Don’t confuse us with BIPOC, she said. Be specific about helping black people because you were specific about your anti-black racism [with] the worst health care. Now is the time to make amends and be specific about repairing the damage.

Health inequity hits too close to home for her.

She says her sister went to the hospital with exhaustion, dehydration and frequent urination. She had never been diagnosed with diabetes before and had not been properly tested that day. Instead, she was sent home without treatment and died that night in her sleep. She was 43 years old.

Futrel said his blood sugar after death was 700.

This is the inequity of health care. That’s what it’s like to go to the ER in Orange County, she said.

For Equity In OC, see https://www.equityinoc.com/

To view the APHA map, https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/health-equity/racism-and-health/racism-declarations

To see OC NAN, https://www.nan-oc.com/

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