PROVIDÊNCIA, RI - Leaders and advocates from Rhode Island’s fourteen Health Equity Zones (HEZ) are urging lawmakers to pass the Rhode Island Equity Zone Act to support this critical piece of the state’s public health infrastructure. If passed, the bill would establish the Rhode Island Equity Zone (RIEZ) networks as a formal program within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). The first hearing for the RI Equity Zone Act bill is scheduled for Thursday, March 27 in the House Health & Human Services Committee.
Currently, the HEZ are an initiative of the RI Department of Health (RIDOH) and do not have statutory directives from the General Assembly; Senator Melissa Murray (District 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield) and Representative Teresa Tanzi (District 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett) are leading an effort to change that. Senator Murray and Representative Tanzi have introduced S0697 and H5849, which, if passed, would mandate EOHHS to coordinate and sustain the RIEZ network. The House bill, before House Health & Human Services, was introduced by Representatives Tanzi, Alzate, Cotter, Speakman, Carson, Donovan, Potter, Cruz, Stewart, Kislak, and Cortvriend. The Senate bill, before Senate Health and Human Services, was introduced by Senators Murray, Thompson, Kallman, Quezada, Valverde, Lauria, Mack, and Euer.
Specifically, EOHHS would be required to organize and allocate dedicated funding from state and federal sources; coordinate across state departments and agencies to ensure a comprehensive approach; conduct regular evaluations of the network and share data and insights with each RIEZ; and provide technical assistance to improve the functioning, capacity and activities of each RIEZ.
“I have seen firsthand the important work that the Washington County Health Equity Zone has done for our communities,” said Representative Tanzi. “Without local or county health departments, Rhode Island needs HEZs to understand and address public health needs on a local, targeted level. This approach has paid dividends and is an investment we can’t afford to let lapse.”
Gathered in the State Room of the RI State House on Tuesday, March 18, leaders from the HEZs were joined by Representative June Speakman, Representative Megan Cotter, East Providence Presidente da Câmara Bob DaSilva, Director RIDOH Dr. Jerome Larkin, MD, and Assistant secretary of EOHHS Ana Novais, all who urged for passage of this legislation and further investment in the HEZ infrastructure.
Speaking about the Washington County HEZ and its backbone entity Wood River Health, Representative Cotter shared that HEZ “are more than just services; they are truly lifelines. They make sure families don’t have to choose between putting food on the table and seeing a doctor. They create solutions like mobile health units, community clinics, and outreach programs that make sure healthcare reaches people who need it the most.”
Representative Speakman commented on the broad definition of health that the HEZs employ, sharing she is “deeply grateful for the work that the Warren HEZ does in our community. They are everywhere, and they define health very broadly as all of you do. They did a wonderful session on climate change to talk to people about how to adjust to the anxieties and concerns; we may, in Warren, have to move an entire neighborhood out of the way of rising water. And [the Warren HEZ] team has helped that neighborhood and the whole town to think about how to confront that reality constructively and together.”
Mayor DaSilva highlighted the impact the East Providence HEZ has had on the city, sharing that the HEZ “multiplies a municipality’s reach into the community.” He continued, “Without the help that we get from the East Providence HEZ and EBCAP together, we wouldn’t be able to do approximately 840,000 meal distributions across the state. We’ve seen the HEZ provide direct services to over 3,000 individuals and they’ve connected with an addition 4,000 through community outreach and resource packets, and have been leading the way and making sure that our residents have their needs met when it comes to health, food, and housing”
Dr. Larkin spoke to the department’s firm committed to the HEZ model and offered his commitment to continue to work closely with EOHHS, partners in the community, the General Assembly, and the Governor’s office to ensure its success. “Health Equity Zones are about trust. They are really where community and public health starts. By investing the decision in the communities, we’ve shifted the model of service from provider to partner. We’ve seen promising changes in social vulnerabilities in the communities,” said Larkin.
Novais spoke to the way in which HEZ uplift community voices, saying that “Sharing the power, not telling people what to do, but really listening to what people tell us” is at the heart of the HEZ model. “ What communities tell us, that is one of the core principles that we believe, to elevate the voices of who we serve.”
Carlene Fonesca, a resident involved with the Pawtucket/Central Falls HEZ, took to the microphone to share a personal story about the impact of the HEZ initiative. “As someone with lived experience with substance use and mental health challenges, the Health Equity Zone has been life-changing. It has given me a space to heal, to lead, and to uplift others who are on their own journeys. HEZ isn’t just a program—it’s a community that empowers residents to reclaim their voices, their health, and their futures.”
Rhode Island’s Health Equity Zones are recognized as a national best practice in community health, and have been proven to improve health outcomes, lower health care costs, reduce disparities, and create opportunities for upward mobility. Health Equity Zones also develop community leadership, build civic engagement, and elevate grassroots power, empowering community members most affected by health inequities to help design their solutions.
For a decade, Health Equity Zones have been a proven taxpayer investment:
- Between 2018-2022, social vulnerability dropped by 21% in communities with a HEZ compared to communities without . During this time, HEZ’s strategic actions improved health status, economic opportunity, and social well-being in their communities.
- People living in communities with a HEZ are twice as likely to have public insurance as those in communities without a HEZ. Yet, average per-person public insurance costs are significantly lower in communities with a HEZ, resulting in increased public insurance savings over time. These results point to a need for additional research to better understand these savings.
The Rhode Island Equity Zone Act is being heard in the House Health & Human Services Committee on Thursday, March 27 at the Rise of the House. HEZ leaders and community members from across the state will be in attendance to testify.
Collaborating Health Equity Zones include 02907 HEZ, Bristol HEZ, Central Providence Opportunities HEZ, East Providence HEZ, Newport HEZ, OneCranston HEZ, Pawtucket / Central Falls HEZ, South Providence HEZ, Tri-County HEZ, Warwick HEZ, Warren HEZ, Washington County HEZ, West Warwick HEZ, and Woonsocket HEZ.
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Contacto para os meios de comunicação social:
Kyle McKendall
Vice-presidente de Desenvolvimento de Recursos e Comunicações
One Neighborhood Builders, convener of the Central Providence Opportunities HEZ
401-489-0951
mckendall@nuloonenb.org
