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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 05/12/2020 - EQUITY AND INCLUSION UPDATEDATE: STAFF: May 12, 2020 Janet Freeman, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator Jackie Kozak-Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer Leo Escalante, Specialist, Public Engagement WORK SESSION ITEM City Council SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION Equity and Inclusion Update EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to provide an overview of how the City is working to embed equity and inclusion into its COVID-19 response, including sharing information on the Just in Time Equity lens and rapid response team as well as a preliminary vision for the principles of community, data collection and equity indicators work. Staff hopes to gain Council feedback as it shifts from response to recovery mode. GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED 1. What feedback do Councilmembers have on how the City is working to embed equity and inclusion into its COVID-19 response? 2. What input do Councilmembers have for our Principles of Community, data collection and equity indicators work? BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Strategic Alignment The City’s strategic plan has three equity and inclusion objectives: • Neighborhood Livability & Social Health 1.4: Advance equity for all, leading with race, so that a person’s identity or identities is not a predictor of outcomes. • Neighborhood Livability & Social Health 1.3: Improve accessibility of City and community programs to low and moderate-income residents and increase participation in services to eligible, income-qualified residents. • High Performing Government 7.3: Improve effectiveness of community engagement with enhanced inclusion of all identities, languages and needs. City Council Action City Council prioritized equity and inclusion in its May 2019 retreat, with the following actions: • Implement the usage of an equity lens (including staff and Council training) • Develop indicators and metrics • Consider a resolution regarding anti-discrimination • Develop principles of community In 2017, the previous Council also prioritized community trust. May 12, 2020 Page 2 Workplan Objectives: Equity for All Staff’s objectives that support equitable outcomes for all include: • Alignment to Council Priorities and deliverables • Focusing on residents who experience worst outcomes • Identifying areas of opportunity and interventions through Equity Lens application • Increasing community involvement in process and solutions, especially with marginalized community members • Utilizing a data-informed approach Problem We Are Trying to Solve As reported in the October 1, 2019 work session, prior to COVID-19, some community members were experiencing disparities within the community related to economic and social inclusion; health; educational attainment, and more. Although COVID-19 can potentially affect all community members living in Fort Collins, the virus-and its cascading impacts-have deepened the equity disparities previously present. This worsening of disparities appears to be a result of systemic and institutional racism and/or oppression. According to national and state data, communities of color are being disproportionately affected by the virus, both in terms of infection and fatalities. CDC National Data https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/08/830030932/cdc-hospital- data-point-to-racial-disparity-in-covid-19-cases Colorado Data https://www.denverpost.com/2020/04/13/colorado-coronavirus-covid-racial-breakdown/> Because of this, many residents are experiencing a worsening in outcomes related to health, employment, education, housing, digital access and more. Examples include, but are not limited to: • Widening of digital divide • Inaccessibility of online education • Increase in number of financially destabilized households • Increased food insecurity • Lack of financial resources for undocumented immigrants • Increase in racially-biased incidents and prejudice among Asian-American community • Decreased ability to effectively navigate resources and critical communications due to language access issues These communities require targeted and strategic interventions and/or support to experience equitable outcomes related to the virus outbreak and the subsequent recovery. In addition, disproportionate impacts are being experienced by women and along socioeconomic lines. Sectors that have a high representation of women workers are experiencing a disproportionate rate of unemployment filings, a disparity further compounded by lack of available childcare. Early projections forecast the country’s 15 million single mothers will be most impacted, and school closures are resulting in the possibility 21% of all children could end up living in poverty. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedknutson/2020/04/21/women-bearing-brunt-of-covid-19-recession-1-in-5-children- may-be-at-risk-of-poverty-says-study/#665aa8f329ba https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedknutson/2020/04/21/women-bearing-brunt-of-covid-19-recession-1-in-5-children- may-be-at-risk-of-poverty-says-study/ May 12, 2020 Page 3 Since the outbreak, staff has been working to embed equity and inclusion considerations into its overall response strategies to mitigate these potential impacts, as well as ensure all Fort Collins residents benefit from equitable service delivery during both the response and recovery phases of COVID-19. Embedding Equity into Response Efforts Early in its COVID-19 response, the City convened a Racial Equity Rapid Response team. The team’s purpose is to identify areas of equity opportunity as the City responded to numerous needs brought about by the virus and its cascading impacts and create strategies to mitigate any disproportionate impacts experienced by marginalized community members. To date, the rapid response team has completed or undertaken the following projects: • Created a Just in Time Equity Lens • Collaboration with Vulnerable/Susceptible Populations work • Opportunity Index that maps vulnerable households for targeted outreach • Peer learning with other GARE jurisdictions and regional partners • Research Emerging and Promising Practices • Our Climate Future Ambassador Redeploy • Environmental Justice Scan The team is also collaborating with staff across the organization on various projects, including a team formed early on to track vulnerable and susceptible population-level issues and concerns. To date, that team has ensured coordination across departments, and prioritized service delivery mechanisms that meet the needs of all residents, e.g., supporting the work to close the digital divide, ensuring materials needing to be translated are prioritized. In addition, staff has collaborated closely with local partners in creating, populating, and translating into Spanish lists of resources posted on the United Way website, organizing a town hall meeting with community leaders with simultaneous interpretation targeted to our Spanish-speaking families, and identifying and sharing community resources information. Inclusive, Equitable Recovery As noted at the April 28 Work Session on Economic and Social Recovery, one of the key principles for recovery work is being “community focused, centered in equity and inclusion.” This includes a commitment to develop processes, programs and deliver community outcomes in a way that furthers our goals around equity and inclusion, including analysis of overall metrics and specific strategies. A preliminary vision to achieve this principle is that disparities from COVID-19 are minimized and all people in Fort Collins benefit from recovery efforts. Staff has identified this initial list of strategies to help attain that vision: • Deploy full-scope equity lens • Collect data and disaggregate by race and other marginalized identities • Create equity dashboard that informs and integrates with the City’s recovery dashboard Track long-term impacts on disparities in employment, income, housing, health, etc. • Conduct gaps analysis to determine staff capacity / resourcing needs • Develop mitigation strategies in partnership with community members most impacted Focusing on response has surfaced opportunities for improving our ability to embed equity and inclusion into our decision-making and that knowledge will also inform efforts to create an equitable and inclusive recovery. Opportunities for improvement include how we address issues related to language access; legislative and policy changes; maintaining consistent communication channels and accessible to all in the community; strengthening internal staff capacity for equity and inclusion work, enhancing accessibility for public participation, and more. May 12, 2020 Page 4 Principles of Community Principles of community are institutional commitments for organizations seeking to embed a culture of equity, inclusion and diversity into its overall mission and vision. Locally, both Colorado State University and Poudre School District have crafted organizational principles of community. The City seeks to develop its own such principles to ensure equity, inclusion and diversity are integral components of our organizational goal of inclusive excellence. The task of developing principles would be in partnership with community as staff looks to strengthen the commitment to ensuring equitable service delivery as well as strengthening our community relationships. How will we measure success? Success will be achieved if post-COVID-19 social and economic indicators show a closing, or lessening, of disparity gaps. Equity indicators will be used to track progress and accountability. Next Steps Staff will continue to work to embed equity and inclusion in its COVID-19 response and recovery efforts and will report back to Council any relevant updates. ATTACHMENTS 1. Just in Time Equity Lens (PDF) 2. COVID-19 Racial Disparities Data (PDF) 3. Principles of Community (PDF) 4. PowerPoint Presentation (PDF) Equity and Inclusion Resource Guide In this challenging time, staff seeking to embed equity and inclusion into their work can use this guide to strengthen understanding and capacity while also reviewing a concrete example of how these concepts were applied to a previous work project. With our current local, state and national reality, keeping equity considerations top of mind will help minimize impacts to historically under-represented and under-resourced community members. “Just in Time” Equity Assessment You and your team can utilize these questions and information to help you lead with race in your projects. The information below is specifically geared towards quickly addressing racial equity during this challenging time. What are the desired results and outcomes of your project based on your proposal?  What are the intended results for the community? What areas of the community could this impact? o Children and youth o Community engagement o Contracting equity o Criminal justice o Economic development o Education o Environment o Food access and affordability o Government practices o Health o Housing o Human services o Jobs o Planning and development o Transportation o Utilities o Workforce equity  What are the outcomes for the organization? o Your performance measures should answer: how much did we do, how well did we do it, is anyone better off? What about data? Because of the current state of the world, the amount of time and resources you may have for data collection could be quite limited. While measurement is important in demonstrating outcomes and results, that does not need to limit the action that you take now. Consider:  Do you have existing data on who you are serving and how that could benefit the racial equity of your project?  Absence of data is data in itself! If you are missing communication with groups that city census data shows are present, that in itself could be informing you on who you are missing in your project. Proposal, Results, and Outcomes Determine the major proposal of your project. What areas of the community will this impact and how? (i.e. housing, health, jobs, economic development, etc) What are the outcomes for the organization and your department? (should be able to answer: how much did you do, how well did you do it, and is anyone better off) ATTACHMENT 1 Equity and Inclusion Resource Guide  Think about real time material needs during this time of crisis as data as well (i.e. food supplies, personal protective equipment, shelter, internet access)  Will specific areas of the city be impacted more than others? How do (and should) we engage during this time? Engagement, especially with the City of Fort Collins, can largely be an in-person, large group endeavor. Social distancing and Stay at Home orders can make connecting and collaborating with communities far more difficult. Again, do not let this stop you from pursuing racial equity within your projects.  There are various online engagement platforms that work well for connecting with external stakeholders. Zoom, GoToMeetings, OurCity, and social media are all viable ways of involving communities in your project. If you do decide to do virtual engagement, consider how you can make the activity feel more personal, comfortable, and accessible for all. o HOWEVER: We need to recognize that online engagement is both an opportunity AND a barrier. Keep in mind that many people you are trying to engage with may not have access to a computer, internet, or a smart phone. o Consider if now is the appropriate time to be engaging on a deeper level for your project. Life has changed drastically and differently for every person.  Understand historical relationships different communities have with the government. o The government has had a historical role in perpetuating racial inequities. o Some communities may not trust having conversations with government staff because of their citizenship status or historical interactions with the government.  Engagement is just as much about collecting feedback as it is about building relationships and trust with historically underrepresented communities. Who is going to benefit or be burdened by your project? Understanding who will be burdened or benefited from the results and outcomes of your project will give you the space to lead with race.  What are some unintended consequences that could come from your project? How can your project be modified to enhance positive impacts and reduce negative impacts?  Does your project align with other initiatives at the city? Utilizing existing knowledge of racial equity can increase the success of leading with race in your project, and can create opportunities in other areas. Engagement How have you engaged with stakeholders previously? How has that/might that change based on current circumstances? Utilize data to understand who the most impacted/influential stakeholders are. Who has historically been “left behind” in your work? Are there ways to connect to your stakeholders online? Consider if now is an appropriate time to be communicating with stakeholders on this project. Equity and Inclusion Resource Guide How are you planning to implement the project? Consider the unintended consequences, existing data or gaps, and impacts of the project. This information will help you to create a thoughtful implementation that will help you to focus more on racial equity.  Is the implementation plan you created realistic? Is it adequately funded and staffed?  Are there other projects you can partner with in order to share resources?  Are you reporting out about the project and how you are focusing on racial equity? How are you ensuring accountability and communicating?  Is what you are saying you are doing matching with what the community is saying or doing? o EXAMPLE: The Social Sustainability department’s strategic plan stated that all residents and visitors in Fort Collins should feel valued, safe and connected. However in 2017, the immigrant community told staff they were feeling the exact opposite of this, and were experiencing persistent fear that was negatively impacting their quality of life. The department performed a root cause analysis to determine what the disparity between those who felt safe and those who didn’t was. Staff worked to gain insights and perspectives from the community, meeting folks in spaces considered safe and working to mitigate barriers to participation by offering interpretation services, childcare, and providing food. During this process, we learned people were experiencing persistent fears around police interfacing, accessing city services, being out in the community, and more. The question then became: “How could the City alleviate fear and remove barriers to participation in City services?” Staff brought forward a resolution that was passed by Council, directing the City manager to create a task force to work on these issues. Critically, the task force was composed of participants who were directly impacted by immigration issues, or their advocates. The task force met for six months, and during that time, provided input on suggested policy changes in our police manuals, ways in which the City could work to strengthen mutual trust, and more. To date, the work done in 2017 continues to guide our efforts to better serve members of our immigrant communities. The process by which this was accomplished was what we would now Impact What are some unintended consequences – especially to communities of color -- that could come from your project? Who will disproportionately benefit or be burdened by the outcomes and results of this project? Why/how? How can you adapt to enhance positive impacts and decrease negative impacts, especially to communities of color? Will these adaptations create other unintended impacts? Equity and Inclusion Resource Guide consider applying a racial equity lens, and the lessons learned about how to engage with historically under-represented populations can be applied to any marginalized group. While not intended to be comprehensive, hopefully this resource guide can help equip staff with key concepts and tools for centering equity and inclusion in their work, especially as we move through this challenging time. That said, we know this is new for a lot of folks and SSA’s Racial Equity Rapid Response team can help serve as thought partners for using the tool, much in the way staff currently deploys for Triple Bottom Line scans. For more information, or assistance with using this tool, feel free to reach out to Janet Freeman at jfreeman@fcgov.com. Additional Resources Definitions, Terms & Strategic Objectives: https://www.fcgov.com/socialsustainability/equity.php GARE Racial Equity Toolkit: https://racialequityalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GARE- Racial_Equity_Toolkit.pdf THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS: CDC Hospital Data Point To Racial Disparity In COVID-19 Cases NPR, by Allison Aubrey and Joe Neel About 1 in 3 people who become sick enough to require hospitalization from COVID-19 were African American, according to hospital data from the first month of the U.S. epidemic released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even though 33% of those hospitalized patients were black, African Americans constitute 13% of the U.S. population. By contrast, the report found that 45% of hospitalizations were among white people, who make up 76% percent of the population. And 8% of hospitalizations were among Hispanics, who make up 18% of the population. The study of about 1,500 hospitalized patients in 14 states underscores the long-standing racial disparities in health care in the U.S. It also echoes what has been seen in other coronavirus outbreaks around the world — people with chronic health conditions have a higher likelihood of developing a serious illness after being infected with coronavirus. The findings appear in the MMWR, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Overall, the report found that about 90% of people in the hospital with COVID-19 had at least one underlying health condition. Half (50%) had high blood pressure, 48% were obese, 35% had chronic lung disease and 28% had diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Hospitalizations were highest among people 65 and older, and about 54% of those hospitalized were men. ATTACHMENT 2 People who were hospitalized had a wide range of symptoms. The most common symptoms at the time of hospital admission were cough (86%), fever or chills (85%), and/or shortness of breath (80%). Upset stomach and gastrointestinal symptoms were documented as well: 27% had diarrhea and 24% reported nausea or vomiting. Asked about the reports of health disparities and racial divide at a White House coronavirus task force briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said that African Americans do not seem more likely to be infected by coronavirus. But he added that "underlying medical conditions, [including] diabetes, hypertension, obesity, [and] asthma" might make it more likely that African Americans are admitted to the ICU or die from the disease. "We really do need to address" the health disparities that exist in the U.S., Fauci said. "These findings underscore the importance of preventive measures (e.g., social distancing, respiratory hygiene, and wearing face coverings in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain)," the authors of the report write, "to protect older adults and persons with underlying medical conditions, as well as the general public." People of color in Colorado disproportionately impacted by coronavirus, state’s first racial data shows Black Coloradans dying from COVID-19 at disproportionately high rate compared to share of population The Denver Post, by Jessica Seaman The coronavirus pandemic is spotlighting racial inequalities in Colorado as new data from the state health department shows black residents are dying from the illness at a disproportionately high rate, and people of color in general are seeing elevated infection rates. COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, is spreading among the state’s black, Hispanic and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents at high rates compared to their shares of the population, according to the data released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Monday. While Gov. Jared Polis said at a news conference that such racial disparities “could be a proxy for economic disparities,” health experts took a firmer stance, pointing directly to systemic societal and health inequalities as a driver for why the disease is having a heavier impact on people of color in Colorado. “We know that social and health care inequities affect outcomes, and that becomes even more apparent in times of disaster,” Jill Hunsaker-Ryan, executive director of the state’s health department, said in a statement. “There have been generations of institutionalized barriers to things like preventive medical care, healthy food, safe and stable housing, quality education, reliable transportation and clear air.” Black Coloradans make up 363 — or about about 7% — of the 5,188 coronavirus cases analyzed by the health department, despite the state’s black population standing at 3.9% of Colorado’s total. Of the 249 COVID-19 deaths included in the data, 17 fatalities — or about 6.83% of the overall total — are black Coloradans. The data released by the Department of Public Health and Environment is limited and only represents 75% of all reported COVID-19 cases. Cases with an unknown race or ethnicity are excluded from the data, which also does not include everyone who has become sick with the illness. The number of confirmed cases in the state — 7,691 as of Monday — is significantly lower than the actual number of Coloradans with the disease because of inconsistent testing. At least 308 people have now died in Colorado in connection with the new coronavirus. Other data released by the state shows: Hispanic/Latino residents make up about 21.7% of the state’s population, but represent 28.1% (1,458 people) of the coronavirus cases and 17.67% (44 people) of the deaths examined by the agency. Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders are 0.1% of Colorado’s population, but make up 0.6% (29 people) of cases and 1.6% (4 people) of deaths. Asian Coloradans are not seeing disproportionately high numbers, as they represent 3.1% of the state population, but 2.2% (116 people) of cases and 2.8% (7 people) of deaths. And white, non-Hispanic, residents count for 67.8% of Colorado’s population, but make up 59.06% (3,064 people) of total coronavirus cases and 69.08% (172 people) of the fatalities. “We are all together here as a state,” Polis said during Monday’s news conference. “People live in integrated communities. You can’t say we’re stopping it for Hispanics and not for white people, or for blacks and not white people.” Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Data released Monday by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shows people of color in Colorado have been disproportionately impacted by the novel coronavirus. The preliminary statewide data on race reflects nationwide trends and is similar to the way the novel coronavirus is impacting Denver residents. Early data released by Denver Public Health on Friday showed black residents faced higher rates of infection, hospitalization and death than white, Hispanic or Latino residents. “We know historically that the African-American and Latino communities have been more prone to chronic ailments such as hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, heart disease,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said during a news conference Monday. “Because we know that, and we know that this particular virus preys harder and disproportionately on people who have those conditions, it is incumbent on all of us to be even more careful about staying indoors.” Those underlying health issues cited by Hancock make patients more susceptible to complications, including death, from the novel coronavirus. Black people also are over-represented in service industry jobs and positions that cannot be done remotely, putting them at additional risk for contracting COVID- 19. Dr. Terri Richardson, a physician and vice chair at the Colorado Black Health Collaborative, said Monday that while systemic disparities play a part in the impact of coronavirus on black residents, more specific data is needed to determine exactly what is going on in Colorado and how to counteract it. “I know most people are saying it’s related to the disinvestment in black communities, longstanding health disparities, a lot of social determinants, or it’s because African-Americans are doing front-facing jobs, bus driving, working at restaurants — these are the types of things you hear,” she said. “But for me, I think that we have to really try to take a deeper dive into this data. Really what is happening?” She said the state needs to provide specific information on the black patients who are dying from COVID-19 that examines the patients’ risk factors like age, chronic diseases or occupation — details that go beyond solely the patients’ race. “What are the details of the people dying?” she said. “Did they present and were they in the hospital for five minutes, were they there for 14 days, how did they get it — what are some of the demographics around them, other than they were black? The social determinate issue, the racism, that is all real, but we’ve got to still take that, and the specifics.” Knowing that information, she said, would allow health officials and organizations to tailor their prevention and education efforts to the particular impacted population, rather than casting a wide net. Nationwide, there have been calls for public health agencies to release racial and income data related to understand the spread of the new coronavirus and know who is becoming sick with the respiratory illness. “If we’re not able to see clearly what’s going on in different communities, we’re not going to be able to allocate resources appropriately,” said Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Black residents have been harder hit by the virus in New York, Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans and Milwaukee. COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The effects of COVID-19 on the health of racial and ethnic minority groups is still emerging; however, current data suggest a disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups. A recent CDC MMWR report included race and ethnicity data from 580 patients hospitalized with lab-confirmed COVID-19 found that 45% of individuals for whom race or ethnicity data was available were white, compared to 55% of individuals in the surrounding community. However, 33% of hospitalized patients were black compared to 18% in the community and 8% were Hispanic, compared to 14% in the community. These data suggest an overrepresentation of blacks among hospitalized patients. Among COVID-19 deaths for which race and ethnicity data were available, New York Citypdf iconexternal icon identified death rates among Black/African American persons (92.3 deaths per 100,000 population) and Hispanic/Latino persons (74.3) that were substantially higher than that of white (45.2) or Asian (34.5) persons. Studies are underway to confirm these data and understand and potentially reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the health of racial and ethnic minorities. Factors that Influence Racial and Ethnic Minority Group Health: The conditions in which people live, learn, work, and play contribute to their health. These conditions, over time, lead to different levels of health risks, needs, and outcomes among some people in certain racial and ethnic minority groups. Health differences between racial and ethnic groups are often due to economic and social conditions that are more common among some racial and ethnic minorities than whites. In public health emergencies, these conditions can also isolate people from the resources they need to prepare for and respond to outbreaks.1,13, 14 Living conditions For many people in racial and ethnic minority groups, living conditions may contribute to underlying health conditions and make it difficult to follow steps to prevent getting sick with COVID-19 or to seek treatment if they do get sick. • Members of racial and ethnic minorities may be more likely to live in densely populated areas because of institutional racism in the form of residential housing segregation. People living in densely populated areas may find it more difficult to practice prevention measures such as social distancing. • Research also suggests that racial residential segregation is a fundamental cause of health disparities. For example, racial residential segregation is linked with a variety of adverse health outcomes and underlying health conditions.2-5 These underlying conditions can also increase the likelihood of severe illness from COVID-19. • Many members of racial and ethnic minorities live in neighborhoods that are further from grocery stores and medical facilities, making it more difficult to receive care if sick and stock up on supplies that would allow them to stay home. • Multi-generational households, which may be more common among some racial and ethnic minority families6, may find it difficult to take precautions to protect older family members or isolate those who are sick, if space in the household is limited. • Racial and ethnic minority groups are over-represented in jails, prisons, and detention centers, which have specific risks due to congregate living, shared food service, and more. Work circumstances The types of work and policies in the work environments where people in some racial and ethnic groups are overrepresented can also contribute to their risk for getting sick with COVID-19. Examples include: • Critical workers: The risk of infection may be greater for workers in essential industries who continue to work outside the home despite outbreaks in their communities, including some people who may need to continue working in these jobs because of their economic circumstances. o Nearly a quarter of employed Hispanic and Black or African American workers are employed in service industry jobs compared to 16% of non-Hispanic whites. o Hispanic workers account for 17% of total employment but constitute 53% of agricultural workers; Black or African Americans make up 12% of all employed workers, but account for 30% of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.7 • A lack of paid sick leave: Workers without paid sick leave might be more likely to continue to work even when they are sick for any reason. This can increase workers exposure to other workers who may have COVID-19, or, in turn, expose others them if they themselves have COVID-19. Hispanic workers have lower rates of access to paid leave than white non-Hispanic workers.8 Underlying health conditions and lower access to care Existing health disparities, such as poorer underlying health and barriers to getting health care, might make members of many racial and ethnic minority groups especially vulnerable in public health emergencies like outbreaks of COVID-19. • Not having health insurance: Compared to whites, Hispanics are almost 3 times as likely to be uninsured, and African Americans are almost twice as likely to be uninsured.9 In all age groups, blacks were more likely than whites to report not being able to see a doctor in the past year because of cost.10 • Inadequate access is also driven by a long-standing distrust of the health care system, language barriers, and financial implications associated with missing work to receive care. • Serious underlying medical conditions: Compared to whites, black Americans experience higher death rates, and higher prevalence rates of chronic conditions.10 • Stigma and systemic inequalities may undermine prevention efforts, increase levels of chronic and toxic stress, and ultimately sustain health and health care disparities. THE PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT THE COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY MISSION AND VISION OF ACCESS, RESEARCH, TEACHING, SERVICE AND ENGAGEMENT. A COLLABORATIVE AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY IS A FOUNDATION FOR LEARNING, CRITICAL INQUIRY, AND DISCOVERY. THEREFORE, EACH MEMBER OF THE CSU COMMUNITY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD THESE PRINCIPLES WHEN ENGAGING WITH ONE ANOTHER AND ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY. INCLUSION We create and nurture inclusive environments and welcome, value and affirm all members of our community, including their various identities, skills, ideas, talents and contributions. INTEGRITY We are accountable for our actions and will act ethically and honestly in all our interactions. RESPECT We honor the inherent dignity of all people within an environment where we are committed to freedom of expression, critical discourse, and the advancement of knowledge. SERVICE We are responsible, individually and collectively, to give of our time, talents, and resources to promote the well-being of each other and the development of our local, regional, and global communities. SOCIAL JUSTICE We have the right to be treated and the responsibility to treat others with fairness and equity, the duty to challenge prejudice, and to uphold the laws, policies and procedures that promote justice in all respects. ATTACHMENT 3 1 Leo Escalante, Janet Freeman and Jackie Kozak-Thiel Equity and Inclusion in COVID-19 Response ATTACHMENT 4 Council Direction 2 1. What feedback do Councilmembers have on how the City is working to embed equity and inclusion into its COVID-19 response? 2. What input do Councilmembers have for our Principles of Community, data collection and equity indicators work? Presentation Flow 3 Strategic Alignment 2020 Workplan: Recap and Update Equitable Service Delivery in time of COVID-19 Racial Equity Rapid Response Team Sampling of Outcomes Opportunities for Improvement The Road Ahead: Recovery Framework Principles of Community Equity Indicators Strategic Alignment STRATEGICALIGNMENT City Plan Neighborhood Livability & Social Health 1.4 Neighborhood Livability & Social Health 1.3 High Performing Government 7.3 SSD Strategic Plan Council Priorities BUDGET FTE: Coordination, Compliance, Engagement 75+ Team Members Revision Offer 4 Workplan Objectives: Equity for All ALIGN TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND DELIVERABLES FOCUS ON RESIDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE WORST OUTCOMES IDENTIFY AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY & INTERVENTIONS THROUGH EQUITY LENS APPLICATION INCREASE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN PROCESS UTILIZE DATA- INFORMED APPROACH 5 Work to Date: Q4/19 – Q1/20 Reimagine Public Engagement Principles of Community Data Collection/Equity Indicators Diversify Boards & Commission Barriers to Transit Our Climate Future Strengthen Staff Capacity 6 Equitable Service Delivery in COVID-19 Response We strive to provide inclusive and equitable service to all community members. We acknowledge American institutional systems carry important and documented inequities based on race, income, gender, and more. We understand individuals or communities may need different levels of support to gain equitable outcomes. 7 Racial Equity Rapid Response Team Opportunity Index Our Climate Future Ambassador Redeploy Environmental Justice Scan Collaboration with Vulnerable/Susceptible Populations work Emerging and Promising Practices Just in Time Equity Lens 8 Just in Time Equity Lens Purpose: Help embed equity considerations into COVID-19 response Adapted for current conditions Enables real-time pivoting based on evolving landscape Developed in- house to honor community specificity and promising practices 9 Just in Time Equity Lens, Ct’d 10 Early Results: Equity Lens Deployment Opportunity Index: Identifying susceptible seniors / marginalized community members for targeted outreach Healthy Homes: Identified susceptible populations and increasing accessibility Messaging: Recommendations for inclusive, targeted communications Utilities: Evaluation of Affordability Programs 11 Racial Disparities: COVID-19 National Data Source: CDC and US Census Bureau 12 Racial Disparities: COVID-19 Infections in Colorado 13 Many impacts from COVID‐19 are not yet known Data will continue to shift as testing expands Early data suggest disparate cases across races also exists in Colorado Source: US Census Bureau, CDC, & CDPHE Vulnerable & Susceptible Populations 14 • City notices and alerts • Departmental information • Resource information Bilingual materials: • Immigrant communities • Accessibility of resource information • Translation / Interpretation needs Collaboration with community partners in service to: English Spanish Vulnerable & Susceptible Populations People experiencing homelessness: • Northside • Heritage Park Minority-owned businesses Town hall for Spanish speakers 15 Opportunities for Improvement 16 ENSURE AVAILABILITY OF CRITICAL INFORMATION IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES INSTITUTIONALIZE EQUITY IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING INCREASE DIVERSITY WITHIN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP POSITIONS DEVELOP COMMUNITY‐ BASED MITIGATION AND ADAPTION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS Recovery Framework Vision: Disparities from COVID-19 are minimized and all people in Fort Collins benefit from recovery efforts Strategies: • Deploy full equity lens (inclusive engagement, data-informed) • Collect data, disaggregate by race / marginalized identities • Create dashboard • Track long-term impacts on disparities in employment, income, housing, health, etc. • Gaps analysis to determine staff capacity / resourcing needs • Develop mitigation strategies 17 Principles of Community 18 A public commitment to actively engage with diversity Reaffirm equitable access to services Part of a holistic approach to staff involvement with equity and inclusion Data Collection & Equity Indicators 19 Midcycle Offer: $80,000 Scope: Data collection, gaps analysis and equity indicators CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance 20 NONPARTISAN RESEARCH AND POLICY INSTITUTE WORK TO IMPROVE GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS DATA‐DRIVEN APPROACHES THAT INFLUENCE POLICY AND OPERATIONS THAT SUPPORT WORK IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES Equality Indicators 21 Disparities in outcomes faced by those most likely to Track experience inequality Support Data-driven policy-making Transparency and accountability by informing communities and giving them tools to advocate for change Increase CUNY: Previous Equality Indicator Work New York City Dallas, TX Oakland, CA Pittsburgh, PA St. Louis, MO Tulsa, OK 22 City of Fort Collins’ Deliverables 23 ANALYSIS OF EQUITABILITY OF EXPERIENCE FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR & PEOPLE WHO HOLD MARGINALIZED IDENTITIES DEVELOP EQUITY INDICATORS PERFORM A GAPS ANALYSIS OF INTERNAL STAFF CAPACITY TO ADDRESS ANY INEQUITIES THAT SURFACE AS A RESULT OF THE WORK Council Direction 24 1. What feedback do Councilmembers have on how the City is working to embed equity and inclusion into its COVID-19 response? 2. What input do Councilmembers have for our Principles of Community, data collection and equity indicators work?