HEALTH EQUITY INSTITUTE OF DELAWARE OFFERS TRAINING TO CLINICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS

DOVER, DEL. (July 24, 2024) - The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is now providing health equity training through the Health Equity Institute of Delaware (HEIDE). Led by the Office of the Medical Director and Office of the Chief Health Equity Officer, HEIDE helps providers and public health workers approach their work from a health equity perspective.

"HEIDE adds a workforce training focus to Delaware's current health equity landscape," said DPH Deputy Director and Chief Health Equity Officer Tesha Quail, PhD, LPCMH, NCC. "We have created a learning community that creates a safe space for collaboration, dialogue, growth, and exploration around health equity."

Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long said, "Professional development through a real health equity lens is critical because that perspective will influence our patient care, our families, our community, and the development of healthcare policy and practice standards."

Participants will participate in online, virtual, and in-person educational experiences led by local and national health equity experts. There are two learner tracks: a clinician track for those in clinical and patient care fields, and a professionals' track for those in non-clinical fields. College undergraduates and graduate students may also participate.

Learners will identify equity gaps and work to fill them through short- and long-term projects. The projects will cover areas such as climate change, sexual and reproductive health, mental health services, and dental care. Learners will also be involved in research that will help inform state action and contribute to national discourse.

"By working together with other stakeholders to promote health equity, participants in HEIDE will create an ecosystem that progressively supports vulnerable Delawareans to attain and maintain optimal health while moving the state towards equity, and addressing health disparities," said DPH Medical Director Dr.Awele Maduka-Ezeh.

HEIDE was launched on July 18 with virtual sessions led by various speakers. The initiative includes Working4Equity, a lecture series for working clinicians, held monthly by HEIDE and the Medical Society of Delaware. The Working4Equity lectures will be held virtually every third Thursday at 6:00 p.m. with continuing education credits offered by the MSD. The lectures may be helpful to scholars, practitioners involved in public health and health disparities work, and allies such as community members and for-profit businesses. The next lecture on Aug. 15 will feature DPH Chief Physician Olubusola Ogunlade, MD, FACOG.

High school students can receive training through a four-week summer internship program, HEIDE-STEPS, that focuses on the social factors affecting health. Applications for the summer 2025 HEIDE-STEPS program will be accepted in January 2025.

Applications are required to participate in HEIDE and are accepted on a rolling basis. Visit the HEIDE Application Form at https://tinyurl.com/yc22zxup to apply. For more information or for an application, call the DPH Office of the Medical Director and the Office of the Chief Health Equity Officer at 302-744-4700 or email HEIDE.DPH@delaware.gov after Aug. 1.

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation.

Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind or speech disabled can contact DPH by dialing 711 first using specialized devices (i.e. TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free and to learn more about how it works, please visit delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

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