Friend,

 

Communities of color in Massachusetts have been disproportionately impacted by economic loss, infection rates, hospitalization rates and death rates during COVID-19. These inequities are heartbreaking – not only because of the devastating effects they have on families and our communities, but also because they are not new. They are a result of long-standing and deep-seated inequities that plague every aspect of our society.

 

Read and share my call to action for building toward racial justice and equity in health.

It’s not enough to just identify the problem – we need to act. That’s why yesterday my office released a new report with recommendations to address these disparities and lead the country on health equity. Our report was informed by conversations with patients, health care providers, public health organizations, researchers, and community groups across Massachusetts and identifies five key areas to advance racial justice and equity in health:

 

✅ Data for identifying and addressing health disparities

✅ Equitable distribution of health care resources

✅ Telehealth as a tool for expanding equitable access to care

✅ Health care workforce diversity

✅ Social determinants of health and root causes of health inequities

 

I need your help to spread the word about our call for action. Please read my report and share it with your networks. This is a problem that impacts all of our communities, and we need all hands on deck if we want to enact meaningful change.

 

Thanks for all you do,

Maura