The Office of Policy and Planning works to reduce health disparities within Harris County communities by encouraging a department-wide “health equity” approach.

A health equity approach allows health departments to consider upstream factors in the social, physical and built environments that are the root cause for differences in disease distribution and health outcomes among populations of different racial, ethnic, age-related and socioeconomic backgrounds.  After considering these factors, a health equity approach looks to policy changes for solutions to health disparities.

Current Health Equity Project:

HCPHES Environmental Equity Project