Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5849 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- H 5849
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7	7	LC001942
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF HEALTH AND
16	16	HUMAN SERVICES
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Tanzi, Alzate, Cotter, Speakman, Carson, Donovan,
18	18	Potter, Cruz, Stewart, Kislak, and Cortvriend
19	19	Date Introduced: February 28, 2025
20	20	Referred To: House Health & Human Services
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23	23	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
24	24	SECTION 1. The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: 1
25	25	(1) Since its inception, Rhode Island's Equity Zone (RIEZ), formerly known as Health 2
26	26	Equity Zone (HEZ) has expanded to fourteen (14) distinct communities, with more than one 3
27	27	thousand eight hundred (1,800) individual leaders and three hundred (300) organizations across 4
28	28	twenty (20) sectors to advance community transformation that supports all residents, especially 5
29	29	those who have been historically underserved. 6
30	30	(2) These Equity Zones have demonstrated impact as follows: 7
31	31	(i) Between 2018-2022, social vulnerability dropped by twenty-one percent (21%) in RIEZ 8
32	32	communities, compared to non-RIEZ communities with little to no change (four-tenths of a percent 9
33	33	(0.4%) decrease). During this time, RIEZs’ strategic actions improved health status, economic 10
34	34	opportunity, and social well-being in their communities. 11
35	35	(ii) People living in RIEZ communities were twice as likely to rely on public insurance 12
36	36	than non-RIEZ communities. Yet, the average per-person public insurance costs are significantly 13
37	37	lower in RIEZ communities than non-RIEZ communities, resulting in significant public insurance 14
38	38	savings over time. 15
39	39	(iii) At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as residents faced challenges accessing food, 16
40	40	healthcare, and maintaining employment and housing, social vulnerability rose across all Rhode 17
41	41	Island communities. However, the increase in social vulnerability was much lower in RIEZ 18
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45	45	communities. In non-RIEZ communities, the increase was fourteen percent (14%), compared to 1
46	46	only a two percent (2%) increase in RIEZ communities. This demonstrated greater resilience in 2
47	47	RIEZ communities, who were better equipped to withstand and overcome the challenges of the 3
48	48	pandemic and meet the urgent needs of their residents. 4
49	49	(iv) Findings show that RIEZ communities are linked to decreasing chronic disease over 5
50	50	time. Many RIEZ communities are seeing much lower rates of chronic disease than expected, based 6
51	51	on their level of social vulnerability. For example, high cholesterol and heart disease in certain 7
52	52	RIEZ communities are dropping much faster than the state average. 8
53	53	(3) These Equity Zones elevate community voice to: 9
54	54	(i) Determine which services need to be provided locally by collaborative partners; 10
55	55	(ii) Strengthen relationships between community members and organizations to create a 11
56	56	foundation of mutual respect, cultural responsiveness, and humility; 12
57	57	(iii) Advocate for effective and meaningful policy-change; 13
58	58	(iv) Utilize resources effectively to avoid duplication and maximize shared impact; and 14
59	59	(v) Restructure decision-making processes to be more democratic and build civic 15
60	60	engagement. 16
61	61	(4) The RIEZ network creates a forum for sharing and collaborating across the entire state. 17
62	62	(5) This model is recognized as a national best practice for addressing upstream social 18
63	63	determinants of health. 19
64	64	(6) Resources are not distributed equitably across the state and under-resourced 20
65	65	communities suffer; Equity Zones fill this gap. 21
66	66	(7) Funding levels have not kept pace with the needs of communities. State funding for the 22
67	67	Equity Zones has declined in recent years, even as the demand for equitable, community-driven 23
68	68	solutions has increased. Without sustained investment Rhode Island risks losing the infrastructure 24
69	69	that has made RIEZ a national model for addressing systemic inequities. 25
70	70	(8) Equity Zones play a burgeoning role as the state's primary strategy for community 26
71	71	transformation, driving health, economic and environmental equity. 27
72	72	(9) While the Rhode Island Department of Health has historically played a central role in 28
73	73	the RIEZ initiative, the initiative’s expansion requires a “whole of government” approach that 29
74	74	includes other state agencies, such as those focused on housing, economic development, 30
75	75	transportation, and workforce initiatives. The RIEZ model must be formally recognized as the 31
76	76	state’s primary strategy for equitable community improvement, with the executive office of health 32
77	77	and human services coordinating funding, technical assistance, and interagency collaboration to 33
78	78	ensure long-term sustainability. 34
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82	82	SECTION 2. Chapter 42-7.2 of the General Laws entitled "Office of Health and Human 1
83	83	Services" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2
84	84	42-7.2-21. Equity Zones. 3
85	85	(a) The executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) is hereby directed to 4
86	86	convene and support a network of equity zones whereby local multisector collaboratives of 5
87	87	nonprofits, service providers, advocates, community members, state agencies, and municipalities 6
88	88	can address social determinants of health at a local level. 7
89	89	(b) The EOHHS shall support equity zones to: 8
90	90	(1) Support resident leadership development, civic engagement, and capacity-building 9
91	91	efforts to ensure that those most affected by inequities are leading the solutions; 10
92	92	(2) Address root causes of health and economic disparities locally; and 11
93	93	(3) Share lessons learned and best practices between equity zones to deepen collective 12
94	94	impact statewide. 13
95	95	(c) To this end, the EOHHS shall: 14
96	96	(1) Collect, track, analyze, and share data that is relevant to the equity zones; 15
97	97	(2) Offer direct assistance to improve the quality, functionality and capacity of equity 16
98	98	zones; 17
99	99	(3) Connect equity zones to technical assistance providers where need surpasses what 18
100	100	EOHHS can offer directly; and 19
101	101	(4) Coordinate with other state departments beyond the department of health on issues such 20
102	102	as housing and economic development, to ensure a "whole government" approach. 21
103	103	(d) State appropriations for this purpose shall be combined with federal dollars to fund the 22
104	104	equity zone network infrastructure, with a goal of equitably sustaining existing equity zones. 23
105	105	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 24
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112	112	EXPLANATION
113	113	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
114	114	OF
115	115	A N A C T
116	116	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF HEALTH AND
117	117	HUMAN SERVICES
118	118	***
119	119	This act would mandate that the EOHHS assemble a network of equity zones where local 1
120	120	multisector groups of nonprofits, service providers, advocates, community members, state 2
121	121	agencies, and municipalities can address social factors of health at a local level. 3
122	122	This act would take effect on July 1, 2025. 4
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