Bridging the Gap in Health Equity
Premiering Monday, May 22 @ 8:00 PM
Louisiana’s health statistics
have been grim for decades, with some of the highest rates of chronic illness
in the country, and a ranking of 49th in the United Health Foundation’s
state-by-state report card. One of the biggest factors in the state’s poor
ranking is the inequality in the healthcare system. Among the most
vulnerable are the poor, the disabled, and people of color.
In an effort to bridge the gap in healthcare access to these
communities, the Louisiana Department of Health created the office of Community
Partnerships and Health Equity in 2019. Louisiana’s health equity initiative is
in the early stages and major disparities still exist. We explore those
disparities and what a more equitable system would look like.
Helping us explore the issue are:
- Sen. Regina Barrow (D) District 15 – Vice-Chair, Senate Health & Welfare Committee
- Davondra Brown, M.Ed., MCHES – Dir. of Community Partnerships & Health Equity, LA. Dept. of Health
- Dr. Shantel Hebert-Magree, CMO Medicaid, LA. Dept. of Health
- Jan Moller – Louisiana Budget Project, Executive Director
- Ashley Shelton – The Power Coalition, Founder & President
Kara St. Cyr, co-anchor of LPB’s weekly news magazine Louisiana: The State We’re In, will host.