Advocates urge lawmakers to act on 'structural racism' health report

Advocates for the poor and communities of color are pressing Minnesota lawmakers to follow through on a bold state report on health inequities.

The health department's report found that structurally racist government rules and policies were partly to blame for health disparities between whites and people of color in Minnesota. It urged state lawmakers to consider the health impact of all policy proposals.

Now advocates want legislative committees to hold public hearings on the report and endorse its recommendations.

The report, released in February, is too good to collect dust, said Peter Brown, volunteer attorney for the Minnesota Tenants Union.

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"What the report very nicely does is recognize that good sound stable housing is as important to health as nutritious food," Brown said. "If legislators incorporate that kind of understanding into their decision-making process, we feel that tenants will benefit."

Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger said his department is already working on developing a Center for Health Equity.

"Having more hearings in the Legislature would be a good thing, to say what needs to be done, who needs to be engaged, what resources are necessary to do that, and really setting the stage for some activities this year and particularly the next legislative session," Ehlinger said.

Minnesota has some of the nation's worst health disparities between whites and people of color.