The Nonprofit The Black Directors Health Equity Agenda recently announced that it has received a $1.5 million grant to address health disparities in the medical world for Black Americans.
The East Bay Community Foundation will provide the fund, which will help support the Black Directors Health Equity Agenda, also known as BHDEA, and its work to educate board directors and other executives leading healthcare facilities.
The $1.5 million grant will also fund the BHDEA’s Board Diversification and Inclusion Project. The initiative advocates for an increased presence of Black patients’ voices in public hospitals and Community Health Centers.
The BDHEA expects to have the funds to conduct more assessments for community feedback and develop more action plans as part of a new health equity playbook.
Similar to their “Prioritizing Health Equity in the Boardroom Playbook,” the playbook will be sent to conferences, webinars and other educational health forums to educate leaders.
“To achieve health equity, we must commit to working together to make sure everyone has access to high-quality care,” said senior vice president and chief equity, inclusion, and diversity officer for Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Ronald L. Copeland, per the press release. “Through BDHEA’s efforts, we hope to strengthen and empower community health centers and nonprofit hospitals to reduce, if not eliminate, all preventable and unjust health disparities, with trustees who are steadfast advocates for their communities.”
We're thrilled to announce a $1.5M #grant from @aboutKP's fund at the East Bay Community Foundation to advance #healthequity! This will help us create a playbook for board directors & launch the BDHEA Board Diversification Project with support from @Deloitte, @EYnews, & @usnews.…
— Black Directors Health Equity Agenda (BDHEA) (@BDHEA_) September 6, 2024
Currently, there are still a variety of health disparities that Black Americans face daily when it comes to the system, including less access to healthcare and an increased likelihood to go without receiving treatment.
Per a new report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, although they make up 12.2% of the total population, Black Americans in the U.S. overall have a lower expected average life expectancy as a result of these disparities. While the average life expectancy for the population as a whole is roughly around 76.1 years, it’s roughly around 70.8 years for Black Americans.
They are also more likely to be burdened with higher diagnoses of serious illnesses such as cancer, high blood pressure, strokes, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. A majority of these cases are also more likely to be terminal with Black women being 40% more likely to pass away when diagnosed with breast cancer alone.
A variety of nonprofits are dedicated to addressing these disparities.
Alongside the Black Directors Health Equity Agenda, Black Women’s Health Imperative, The Center for Black Health & Equity and National Black HEALth are all committed to making the healthcare system more equitable for Black Americans.
“Our duty as healthcare board members extends beyond oversight; it’s a commitment to the heart of care,” said BDHEA Board Chair Caretha Coleman per the press release. “This grant empowers our shepherds of health equity to forge a path toward justice, ensuring that those facing the harshest conditions and barriers find high-quality, equitable care.”
