Equitable Enforcement to Achieve Health Equity: An Introductory Guide for Policymakers and Practitioners
Equity-informed enforcement of public health policies can help break the cycles of injustice and inequitable health outcomes experienced by underserved communities, making it essential for policies in areas such as retail licensing, employment, education, and housing. ChangeLab Solutions has developed Equitable Enforcement to Achieve Health Equity, a guide exploring equitable options for administrative, civil, and criminal enforcement in a wide variety of public health policy areas.
By posing a series of questions to consider when drafting, implementing, and enforcing a policy, ChangeLab Solutions’ resource helps policymakers, advocates, and enforcement officials explore 1) the equity implications of traditional public health enforcement tools, and 2) strategies to avoid unintended negative consequences when enforcing violations of the law. Equitable Enforcement to Achieve Health Equity also discusses best practices in design and development of enforcement provisions to help avoid inequitable impacts and promote community health.