President Joe Biden on Feb. 22 signed an executive order to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities. The order reinforces and expands on an identically named 2021 executive order, charging the federal government with “advancing equity for all, including communities that have long been underserved, and addressing systemic racism in our Nation’s policies and programs.”
Among other requirements, the order instructs several agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, to:
- Produce an annual public equity action plan that will assess and include actions to address the barriers underserved communities may face in accessing and benefiting from the agency’s policies, programs, and activities.
- Build and resource agency equity teams and designate senior leaders accountable for implementing the president’s equity mandate.
- Improve the quality, frequency, and accessibility of their community engagement and consult with affected communities as each agency develops its equity action plan, funding opportunities, budget proposals, and regulations.
Contact Senior Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
