Counties play an essential role in protecting, promoting and improving the health of communities across the country. With the unique responsibility of delivering vital services through local health departments, community health centers, county hospitals, long term care facilities and behavioral health clinics, counties are at the forefront of developing innovative strategies, programs and policies that meet the health needs of their residents. While not unique in and of itself, the COVID-19 pandemic provides a critical opportunity for counties to intentionally center health equity in their proposed strategies and policies.

NACo is happy to highlight a new webinar series, Health Equity and Social Solidarity in the Time of Pandemic: Strategies for COVID-19 Response and Recovery, from our partner County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. The series highlights the challenges communities are facing as they respond to COVID-19 and its impacts and serves as an opportunity for community leaders across the nation to learn from lead researchers, policymakers and each other.

The five webinars in this series are:

• Exploring Guaranteed Income as a Strategy to Address Income Inequality
  Thursday, May 21 at 3 p.m. EDT
  Featured guest: Sukhi Samra, Director of the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration
  Learn about Stockton, Calif.’s implementation of an innovative strategy to address financial insecurity and income inequality by providing a guaranteed income.
  Watch the recording here.

• COVID-19: Disproportionate Impact on Black Communities
  Thursday, June 25 at 3 p.m. EDT
  Featured guests: Cassandra Welchlin, Lead Organizer of the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, and Dr. Camara Jones, Morehouse School of Medicine
  Learn about several historical and systemic causes of the disparities in outcomes in black communities, as well as strategies both to address outcomes now and in the future by creating sustained systems change.
  Register here.
   
• COVID-19: Disproportionate Impact on Tribal Nations
  Thursday, July 9 at 3 p.m. EDT
  Featured guest: Dr. Patricia Nez Henderson, Navajo Nation & Black Hills Center for American Indian Health
  Learn about historical policies leading to disparities in resources available to tribal communities, gain insights into the need for structural changes in how we provide public health support to tribal communities.
  Register here.
   
• US COVID-19 Mapping: Bridging Data with Historical Context
  Tuesday, July 21 at 3 p.m. EDT
  Featured guests: CHR&R’s Data and Community Transformation Teams
  Learn about the importance of social and economic data in understanding COVID-19’s impact. Register here.


• Responding to Crisis in the Latino Population with an Equity Lens
  Thursday, August 13 at 3 p.m. EDT
  Featured guest: UnidosUS
  Learn from UnidosUS about the issues Latino communities are facing and the emerging strategies that their affiliates across the country are employing during this pandemic to address them. Register here.

The full impact of COVID-19 on communities still remains to be seen. In times of crisis, counties remain among the leading champions and advocates for residents and communities. Access the recording of the May 21 webinar here and sign up for the County Health Rankings newsletter to stay tuned for more information, future registration links and updates on this exciting new series. For additional resources for county response efforts and priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, please click here.