内容摘要：Scientists say melting glaciers will raise sea levels for decades, but the loss of inland glaciers also acutely affects those living nearby who rely on them for water for drinking water and agriculture.

Scientists say melting glaciers will raise sea levels for decades, but the loss of inland glaciers also acutely affects those living nearby who rely on them for water for drinking water and agriculture.

The declaration gave the health department a “green light” to begin addressing equity at the root, county public health officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said. That included creating a fellowship program for collegeby 2029 to create a pathway to employment.

Community organizers from Public Health Advocates praise the health department for starting up a health and racial equity unit. But they are frustrated by the lack of outward-facing progress.A year ago, the organization confronted the county board of supervisors during a meeting over concerns that the county was too focused on internal diversity, equity and inclusion as opposed to racial justice. They were frustrated that the county spenton an out-of-state consultant and didn’t put community members on the DEI cabinet — which was established in May 2023, three years after the declaration.

The county also lagged in hiring a DEI chief to oversee the action plan. The Civil Service Commission, which runs the process for choosing and retaining county employees, initially didn’t approve the job description because the commission was concerned it would be redundant.Cephoni Jackson eventually was hired in January. She shared a draft of the yet-to-be-finalized plan, which outlines goals of creating a “culture of belonging,” building more inclusive leadership, and coming up with strategies to retain and develop talent. She wants to establish a committee made up of community members by 2025.

The goals don’t have a timeline, and various county leaders are tasked with “championing” each step. Jackson said she’s seeing high energy from employees to begin implementing the action plan, adding: “It’s like the conditions are right for the culture to shift.”

It’s progress that’s “more than the bread crumbs they’ve given us,” said Kula Koenig, the chief program officer at Public Health Advocates.Putting money toward racism-as-a-public-health-crisis declarations is an important way for governments to show they’re committed to implementing the steps, Mendez said. But money was a rarity in her review of 125 declarations that had been adopted by the end of September 2020.

“It actually is also going to take some financial will and some real investments to create the types of layered strategies that can move the needle on well-being outcomes,” said Guthrie with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, which works with governments on racial equity in about 20 states. “That doesn’t happen overnight.”The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered millions of dollars in federal grants in

for state and local health departments to address racial disparities and develop the workforce.Sacramento County, California, received $7 million and has used it to to pay various consultants to create an action plan for its health department and to train the staff on implicit bias and racial equity.