Statewide Network Wants “Healthcare Equity”

Some County health departments around Michigan and other organizing groups in Michigan are joining forces to create a healthcare network dedicated to "health equity" to give equal access to healthcare for everyone.

A group called Michigan Power to Thrive started in November with a small group of Michigan county health departments and Michigan organizations to promote social justice in healthcare. Calhoun County Public Health Department and JONAH, the Joint-religious Organizing Network for Action and Hope, a faith-based organization in Battle Creek, has recently joined the network.

Last November the Ingham County Health Department teamed up with Gamaliel of Michigan to promote the same idea.

The group Health Equity Alliance group at the county health department's Victoria Reese, said merging the county health department’s work with JONAH was a “perfect storm.”

So far, eight counties in Michigan have committed to the group Michigan Power to Thrive and their cause. Representatives from that group stated implementing social justice thinking into their work will take time before the public will see a real difference.

My question is what do they mean by "social justice" and "health equity" and what does that have to do with healthcare?