Chapter 7B-ii. Commission on Health Equity.
§ 7–756.01. Establishment of the Commission on Health Equity.
(a) There is established a Commission on Health Equity ("Commission") to prepare, through the Department of Health's Office on Violence Prevention and Health Equity, comprehensive recommendations to the Department of Health, the Council, and the Mayor that examine and address health inequities across the District and differing opportunities for healthcare by demographic subpopulations and geographic areas, including in each election ward of the District.
(b) The Commission shall have 9 voting members, who shall be appointed as follows:
(1)(A) Six voting members shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council, in accordance with § 1-523.01(f).
(B) The Mayor's initial 6 appointments shall include 3 members appointed to 3-year terms and 3 members appointed to 2-year terms. All subsequent appointments by the Mayor shall be for 3-year terms.
(2)(A) Three voting members shall be appointed by the Council.
(B) The Council's initial 3 appointments shall be for one-year terms. All subsequent appointments by the Council shall be for 3-year terms.
(3) Each voting member shall have expertise in at least one of the following areas:
(A) Health equity, social determinants, and health disparities;
(B) Social and human services and vulnerable populations;
(C) Early learning and education;
(D) Minority communities and population health outcomes and improvement;
(E) Economic and community development; or
(F) Ecology and the natural and built environment.
(4) The Mayor shall appoint the Chairperson of the Commission from among its voting members.
(c)(1) The Commission shall include the following nonvoting advisory members:
(A) The Chairperson of the Council committee with jurisdiction over the Department of Health, who shall serve as an ex-officio member;
(B) Three community advisory members, one each from Wards 5, 7, and 8, appointed by the Council;
(C) One patient organization representative, appointed by the voting members of the Commission; and
(D) The presidents or chief executive officers of 2 District hospitals and a representative from an insurance company who have access to health outcomes databases, or their designees.
(2) For the purposes of this subsection, the term "patient organization representative" means an individual who works for a national or local healthcare or health promotion organization.
(d) All vacancies on the Commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the initial appointment is made.
(e) All members of the Commission shall be appointed within one year after October 8, 2016.
§ 7–756.02. Commission duties and functions.
(a) The Commission shall advise the Department of Health's Office of Violence Prevention and Health Equity on:
(1) The development of a baseline assessment of health equity across the District, and differing opportunities for health by demographic subpopulations and geographic areas, including in each election ward of the District;
(2) The application of innovative data collection and dissemination strategies to augment the use of evidence-based methods and tools and practices within a community-based participatory research framework; and
(3) Strengthening collaborative partnerships with communities impacted by health inequities to identify and promote health equity strategies.
(b) The Commission shall:
(1) Gather information from public hearings, inquiries, and studies to understand how the District government may work to eliminate health disparities;
(2) Seek federal grants, if available; and
(3) Submit a formal city action plan by March 1 of each year to the Department of Health, the Mayor, and the Council.
(c) The formal city action plan required by subsection (b)(3) of this section shall be a public document and shall include, at a minimum:
(1) A report of the Commission's findings regarding:
(A) Health equity across the District and differing opportunities for healthcare by demographic subpopulations and geographic areas, including in each election ward of the District;
(B) The identification of health indicators studied that highlight the election ward and populations or neighborhoods most affected, possible steps that can be taken by the District government to remedy these issues, and expected outcomes that will result from taking the recommended steps; and
(2) Draft legislation, regulations, amendments to statutes or regulations, or any other specific steps for implementing the recommendations described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
§ 7–756.03. Commission procedure and powers.
(a) The Commission shall meet at least once a quarter to share findings regarding the prevalence and severity of health disparities that exist in each election ward.
(b) The Chairperson of the Commission, or his or her designee, who must be a member of the Commission, shall convene all Commission meetings.
(c) A majority of the voting members appointed to the Commission at any given time shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of official business. Official actions of the Commission shall be taken by a majority vote of the voting members present at the meeting.
(d) The Commission may use space and supplies owned or rented by the District government and use staff loaned from the Council or detailed by the Mayor for purposes consistent with this chapter as the Commission may determine.
