Patient Care Access News

NC Affirms Major Commitment to Health Equity in New State Plan

The new NC State Health improvement plan intends to advance health equity by diminishing disparities for historically marginalized populations throughout the state.

The NC State Health Improvement Plan will focus on health equity as well as education and economic stability.

Source: Getty Images

By Sarai Rodriguez

- The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has buckled down on its pledge to advance health equity in its recently released 2022 North Carolina State Health Improvement Plan (NC SHIP).

The NC SHIP key strategies of health equity, education, and economic stability for all North Carolinians add to the NCDHHS 2021-2023 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes improving behavioral health, bolstering child and family well-being, and building an inclusive workforce. 

“Healthy people and healthy communities are the foundation of a thriving, prosperous state,” said Susan Kansagra, MD, NCDHHS assistant secretary for Public Health, said in a press release. “This is why we need to ensure every North Carolinian has the opportunity to be healthy, regardless of their race or ethnicity, where they live, or how much money they have.”