CDHS Equity Statement
Our mission at CDHS is to empower Coloradans to thrive with the people-first values of accountability, transparency and ethical practice. In order to uphold this foundation, we must do more than talk about equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). CDHS is actively listening and learning in order to responsively change our policies, practices and mindsets.
We acknowledge that all public service systems were built to serve most people, not all people. Bias, discrimination and lack of accessibility negatively affect our employees and those we serve, and we cannot passively allow injustice to continue. Therefore, we work to identify, uproot and dismantle systemic racism, ableism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, cisgenderism and additional forms of oppression that have harmed many Colorado communities.
We are committed to having critical conversations to support Colorado communities to thrive. We recognize that equity work is continual, that we are always growing, learning and unlearning, and improving. With the input of community, staff and leadership, we have created an Equity Action Plan. The plan focuses on six major areas of impact, which include leadership, family and community engagement, policy and program assessment, learning and growth, communication, and employee lifecycle.
We need your continued voice and input, and we invite you to join in our conversations and efforts, whether you are one of our valued employees or a community member engaging in our services. If you are a valued employee, please visit our EDI intranet page with many opportunities to get involved. If you are a community partner, we invite you to learn more about our community engagement opportunities. We are partners and co-creators in this work with you.
CDHS is fully committed to continuing our systemwide investment in EDI strategies and initiatives that are both employee and client/community-centered to eliminate disparities and increase equity in the programs and services we provide.
CDC & OMH PARTNER LAUNCH THE NEW MINORITY HEALTH SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX (SVI)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the HHS Office of Minority Health developed the Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to enhance existing resources to support the identification of racial and ethnic minority communities at the greatest risk for disproportionate impact and adverse outcomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minority Health SVI is an extension of the CDC Social Vulnerability Index, which is a platform that helps emergency response planners and public health officials identify, map, and plan support for communities that will most likely need support before, during, and after a public health emergency.
Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)
