We identify priorities and create recommendations for the Governor and Legislature to eliminate health disparities by race/ethnicity & gender in Washington
We were created by the Legislature through passage of Second Substitute Senate Bill 6197 in 2006.
Our primary responsibility is to create an action plan for eliminating health disparities. Statute includes a list of health topics that we are directed to prioritize and address on an incremental basis along with addressing the social determinants of health.
We are also responsible for promoting and facilitating communication, coordination, and collaboration among the public and private sector and communities of color to address disparities.
In addition, we gather information to understand how the actions of state government improve or worsen health disparities, and collect information and recommend strategies to improve the availability of culturally and linguistically appropriate information and services within public and private health-related agencies.
Lastly, we are responsible for collaborating with the Washington State Board of Health to conduct Health Impact Reviews, which are objective analyses of legislative or budgetary proposals to identify likely impacts on health and health disparities.
