MCHE 1.0 (2021-2023)

Recognizing the need for an all-government approach to address health equity, the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) passed Senate Bill 52 (SB 52), the Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Health Equity Act of 2021. The Honorable Nathan-Pulliam, a former Maryland State Senator, was passionate about health equity and advocated throughout her career to address the root causes of health disparities in the state. The mandate outlined in the legislation required MCHE to advise on issues of racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic health disparities, develop a comprehensive health equity plan to address the social determinants of health, and set goals for achieving health equity in alignment with other statewide planning activities.

1. Examine and make recommendations regarding: 

1. Health considerations that may be incorporated into the decision–making processes of government agencies and private sector stakeholders who interact with government agencies; 

2. Requirements for implicit bias training for clinicians engaged in patient care and whether the State should provide the training; 

3. Training for health care providers on consistent and proper collection of patient self–identified race, ethnicity, and language data to identify disparities accurately; and 

4. Requirements to comply with, and for enforcement of, National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (CLAS Standards); 

2. Foster collaboration between units of the State and local government and develop policies to improve health and reduce health inequities; 

3. Establish a State plan for achieving health equity in alignment with other statewide planning activities in coordination with the State’s health and human services, housing, transportation, education, environment, community development, and labor systems;

4. Identify measures for monitoring and advancing health equity in the State;

5. Make recommendations and provide advice, including direct advice to the Secretary, on implementing laws and policies to improve health and reduce health inequities; and

6. Develop and monitor a statewide health equity plan as required by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation under any agreement entered into between the State and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.