Contra Costa Health Services

Office of the Director- In November 2020, Contra Costa Health Services appointed its first Chief Equity Officer with an executive leadership role to assess, align strategies and develop new metrics and measures to embed a system-wide health equity lens for improving care for communities. The newly-formed Equity Team also aims to increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offerings and strategic planning to support an equitable workplace culture for our over 4,400 employees. The CCHS Equity Team supports work across all 9 divisions of the county health department, with an emphasis on engaging and outreaching historically marginalized communities (African-American, Latinx, Asian-American Pacific Islander, Older Adults, youth, and low-income families) that are disproportionately impacted by health inequities. We work in partnership with key staff and community-based organization partners to drive change, identify logistical, social, and cultural barriers to optimal health, collaborate on data- and community-informed approaches to address social determinants of health, and co-design policies and programs that are responsive, culturally-relevant and respectful to the needs of the patients and populations we serve. 
Contra Costa Health Services acknowledges that inequities are rooted in historic legacies of structural racism and we commit to dismantling harmful systems, policies, and practices while investing in equitable best practices to center the voices and experiences of marginalized populations.

Injury Prevention and Physical Activity Promotion Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program partners with cities and CBOs throughout Contra Costa County, including Richmond, Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo, Concord, Pittsburg, and Bay Point. SRTS is a national program, aimed at encouraging school-age children to walk and bike to work as a form of getting regular exercise and community building. Implementing SRTS efforts in lower-income communities must address not only walking and biking issues but also topics that impact perception of safety, such as fears of violent crime and robbery, gang activity, deportation, as well as a general distrust of government representatives and law enforcement. Both youth and adults share these fears that often serve as obstacles to their interest and participation in traditional SRTS programming. 

Nutrition and Physical Activity Promotion - The Nutrition, Food Security, and Physical Activity programs aim to improve access and consumption of healthy foods and water, reduce sweetened drinks and increase physical activity among low-income Contra Costa County residents. We accomplish these goals in some of the following ways: •Implement a County Nutrition Action Plan (CNAP) to promote the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, FNS food security programs, and physical activity.
•Conduct nutrition workshops, health events, and social marketing for low-income residents to promote healthy eating and active living.
•Coordinate school and after-school programs as well as peer to peer education to empower families and youth to choose healthy foods, drink water instead of sweetened drinks and live an active life.
•Participate in local coalitions and subcontract with community partners to collaborate with government agencies, child care centers, faith-based organizations, community leaders, food retailers, other businesses and schools to support programs and policies that mitigate child obesity and improve access and intake of healthy foods and physical activity.
•Encourage worksite wellness through access to healthier food choices in vending machines and promotion of physical activity.
•Collect Data for grant funding, program planning and evaluation of interventions to improve access and consumption of healthy food and physical activity.