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.