Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Announces Health Equity Framework

On July 12, the Princeton, N.J.-based Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced a new health equity framework for healthcare organizations titled “Raising the Bar” via a press release. The framework aims to identify how healthcare companies can approach the goal of increasing equity and has particular principles, roles, and actions that can be used to begin or advance health equity work. The framework was created by advisors led by the National Alliance to Impact the Social Determinants of Health.

The release states that “‘Raising the Bar’s’ core principles apply to everyone who pays for or delivers care and represent the aspirations of individuals, families, and communities as they engage with the healthcare system. The five overarching principles for healthcare to raise the bar include:

• MISSION— Commit to a mission of improving health and wellbeing.
• EQUITY— Systematically pursue health equity and racial justice.
• COMMUNITY— Authentically partner with community.
• POWER— Share resources, voice and power.
• TRUST— Earn and sustain trusting relationships.”

Additionally, “Raising the Bar” outlines four roles healthcare organizations participate in that should be leveraged for sector leaders to truly deliver equity: provider, employer, partner, and advocate. The framework describes the associated actions for each role and case examples of organizations putting the principles into practice. Resources are also included for organizations who want to start or accelerate equity work.

“‘Raising the Bar’s’ recommendations were developed through an intentionally and deeply co-creative process grounded in the realities and opportunities identified by healthcare leaders, as well as the perspectives of people with lived experience of inequities,” the release comments. “The ‘Raising the Bar’ principles coalition included experts from the Funders Forum on Accountable Health, Health Care Transformation Task Force, National Association of Community Health Centers, the National Partnership for Women & Families, RESOLVE, Social Intervention Research & Evaluation Network, Trust for America’s Health and Well-Being and Equity (WE) in the World.”

In the coming months the National Partnership for Women & Families—in conjunction with the Alliance of Community Health Plans, National Birth Equity Collaborative, and Health Care Transformation Task Force—will release a use case of how the principles, roles, and actions outlined in the framework can be applied to improving maternal and infant health, especially among the Black and Brown population.