Milwaukee’s Journey to Promote Health, Well-Being, and Equity
Five years into the Sentinel Communities Surveillance Project, various collaborations and coalitions work together to promote health.
Milwaukee’s capacity to promote health, well-being, and equity remains rooted in activities and efforts of nonprofits and collaborations in social justice and civic engagement, housing, and health sectors, including several grassroots organizations. There is no single, lead organization for health, thus efforts are mostly being led by collaborations and coalitions. Regarding the health narrative in Milwaukee, over the past five years there has been an amplification of the relationship between physical and mental health and the importance of social determinants of health. Health discussions in the city embrace a fuller appreciation of historical and structural issues concerning race, and these conversations are now showing up in city policy and in community engagement. Milwaukee’s approach to health equity has been expanding over the past five years through a combination of city investment and collaborations among community organizations.
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Community Capacity
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Major Initiatives
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Health Priorities and Narrative
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Health Equity
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Lessons Learned: Where is Milwaukee Five Years Later?
Milwaukee’s journey to promote health, well-being, and equity underscores the opportunity in linking race and health equity, and in encouraging the participation of nonprofit and private sectors with government action. The new or deepened collaborations that are happening because of COVID-19 provide a chance to accelerate policy and programmatic changes on behalf of health equity and the social determinants of health. Other communities can learn from Milwaukee’s approaches and lessons learned regarding moving from health disparities to a more nuanced health equity frame to inform their own journeys. Future research could consider whether this momentum around racism as a public health issue takes hold in Milwaukee across organizations and sectors, and whether and how it leads to lasting policy changes.
Milwaukee has leveraged collaborations and a focus on health equity to address long-standing factors that influence health and well-being outcomes. Yet barriers remain regarding the city’s persistent struggle with racial segregation and the impact of COVID-19 on exacerbating health inequities.
Facilitators:
Growing focus on health equity convened more meaningful partnerships
Philanthropic sector and private businesses have been instrumental
Data capacity to support decision-making
Commitment to violence prevention, understanding trauma, and mental health
Barriers:
Historic and structural discrimination and inequity
Limited funding for health from the city
Increase in rates of violence during the pandemic