The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted historically marginalized and minoritized communities, shedding light on the urgent need for collective action towards embedding equity in crisis preparedness and response systems.

Designed to support health care professionals championing equity in health care organizations and their executive leadership, the Embedding Equity in Crisis Preparedness and Response in Health Systems guide is grounded in candid accounts of organizations across the country as they advocate for equity and racial justice during crises and share key findings they learned along the way.

Why a Crisis Preparedness Guide Is Needed

To move towards health equity, we must address the systems, structures, and institutions that have historically and currently contributed to health inequities. The guide has a broad audience in mind: anyone who has a role within a health system that can influence the actions and processes in that system. However, this guide is especially critical for senior leaders (e.g., C-suite, board members) who have the power to make health equity a strategic organizational priority and to ensure sustainable resource allocation to support those leading the work.

How To Use the Embedding Equity in Crisis Preparedness Guide

This guide is structured in four parts and includes a workbook to help organizations apply learnings from the guide in their own crisis response planning.

Part 1: Recommendations

Gather overarching recommendations for embedding equity in crisis preparedness and response for health systems along with tangible practices of how to implement equity in organizational structures.

Part 2: Case Studies: Implementing Recommendations for Embedding Equity in Crisis Preparedness

Hear first-hand from 12 different organizations of varying sizes and patient populations who illustrate key concepts and experiences on how they have implemented equity in preparedness and response.

Part 3: The Gardener’s Tale: Lessons for Improved Inclusivity

Rooted in Dr. Camara Jones’ influential allegory of the Gardener’s Tale, organizational changemakers can harvest practical step-by-step guidance to help mitigate (and not worsen) inequities during crises.

Read the full article about embedding equity in crisis preparedness at American Medical Association.