DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Following the lead of other municipalities, academia and medical experts, DeKalb County has declared racism a public health crisis.
The county Board of Commissioners passed the resolution at last week's meeting, during which they also declared Juneteenth a paid county holiday.
The resolution cites a number of ways in which racism produces observable, negative health outcomes, particularly for Black people, including lower life expectancies than white people in the county, increased likelihood of dying from heart disease or stroke, higher levels of infant mortality, lower birth weights, higher rates of being overweight or obese, and higher rates of adult diabetes and resulting complications.
And, perhaps most starkly, it cites the fact that Black residents have both been hospitalized and died at a higher rate due to the coronavirus.
"Racism causes persistent discrimination and disparate outcomes in many areas of life, including housing, education, employment and criminal justice; and an emerging body of research demonstrates that racism itself is a social determinant of health," the resolution states. "More than 100 studies have linked racism to worse health outcomes."
It includes a 10-point list of goals and policies the county resolved to pursue:
- Assert that racism is a public health crisis affecting our entire county.
- Work to progress as an equity and justice-oriented organization, with the Governing Authority and its staff leadership continuing to identify specific activities to further enhance diversity and to ensure antiracism principles across the Governing Authority’s leadership, staffing and contracting.
- Promote equity through all policies approved by the Governing Authority and enhance educational efforts aimed at understanding, addressing and dismantling racism and how it affects the delivery of human and social services, economic development and public safety.
- Continue to advocate locally and through the National Association of Counties for relevant policies that improve health in communities of color, and supports local, state, regional, and federal initiatives that advance efforts to dismantle systemic racism.
- Further work to solidify alliances and partnerships with other organizations that are confronting racism and encourage other local, state, regional and national entities to recognize racism as a public health crisis.
- Support community efforts to amplify issues of racism and engage actively and authentically with communities of color wherever they live.
- To always promote and support policies that prioritize the health of all people, especially people of color by mitigating exposure to adverse childhood experiences.
- Continue on-going racial equity training with the goal of reaching all Governing Authority’s staff.
- Encourage racial equity training among all community partners, grantees, vendors and contractors.
- Identify clear goals and objectives, including periodic reports to the Governing Authority, to assess progress and capitalize on opportunities to further advance racial equity.
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