Government Leadership
Thank you for joining us as we work toward achieving Nurture NJ’s mission to make New Jersey the safest, most equitable place in the nation to deliver and raise a baby. On this page, you will find the recommended activities and associated resources to aid you and your fellow government leaders in implementing the plan.
Click on the STEP below that represents where you are in the process of supporting Nurture NJ.
- If you are just beginning, click on Step-1.
- If you have been implementing your Nurture NJ action areas for more than three months, click on Step-2.
- If you are more than six months into implementation, click on Step-3.
- Finally, if you have been working on Nurture NJ initiatives for more than nine months, click on Step-4.
These recommendations apply to you if you are one or more of the following:
- Office of the Governor
- Office of the First Lady
- Commissioners
- Nurture NJ Coordinator
- Legislators
- City, county, and municipal leadership
We are thrilled to work in community with you. Welcome aboard!
All state departments and agencies should be required to implement, monitor, and evaluate a plan for increasing equity capacity and for maintaining capacity to promote racial equity in all policies, budgets, institutional practices, policies, systems, and structures.
Activities to Begin in Support of 4.2
- Review and discuss Nurture NJ Strategic Plan.
- Begin developing equity or implicit bias training for all senior level staff in state, county, and local government.
Tools, Resources and Models
- Examples of existing racism declarations: Los Angeles, Kansas, Michigan
- Nurture NJ Strategic Plan Companion Document: A Deeper Dive into Data and Key Concepts, Articles:
- I.6, Racism in the United States
- I.7, The Science: Pathways of Racism’s Impact on Health
- II.3, Building Infrastructure to Support, Promote and Maintain Racial Equity and Community Power-Sharing in All Policies and Processes of Nurture NJ
- II.1, Colorado Health Equity Assessment Tool
- II.2, Assessing Organizational Racial Justice
- IV.1 Structural Change Process for Nurture NJ
Build upon the Nurture NJ Interdepartmental Working Group to initiate a permanent internal structure that meets quarterly to discuss planned programs and policies that impact maternal and infant health and racial disparities in birth outcomes, budget implications, break down internal silos, share possibilities for collaboration, and develop a process for assessing health impacts of pending policies.
Activities to Begin in Support of 1.6
- Continue quarterly Nurture NJ Interdepartmental Working Group meetings.
- Begin to develop process to formalize group into a more permanent structure and schedule.
- Start work to develop processes for assessment and racial justice learning.
Tools, Resources and Models
- Appendix: Nurture NJ Resource Guide, Section III: Health Impact Assessment and Health Equity Impact Assessment. This document lists several references and links to sample HIA and to the process of conducting HIA and HEIA.
- Human Impact Partners-website: https://humanimpact.org/products-resources/ issue-area/?filter=iss1-145 Publications, case studies and resources on health impact assessment.
- Article: Powell, S. A. & Haigh, F. A. Health Equity Impact Assessment http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/02/28/heapro.dat012.full
- Example of a Health Equity Impact Assessment ( HEIA) Workbook—Ontario: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/heia/docs/workbook.pdf
All state departments and agencies should issue written statements of their commitment to community engagement.
Activities to Begin in Support of 2.2
Identify a point person at each state department and agency to lead community engagement efforts with populations most affected by programs and policies, ensuring representation of vulnerable, underserved communities.
Tools, Resources and Models
- I.4. Nurture NJ Resource Guide, Section 3
- Nurture NJ Strategic Plan Companion Document: A Deeper Dive into Data and Key Concepts
- I.1, New Jersey Women Speak: New Jersey Isn’t the Greatest Place to Give Birth Now
- II.3, Building Infrastructure to Support, Promote and Maintain Racial Equity and Community Power-Sharing in all Policies and Processes of Nurture NJ
- IV.3, PRISM E Equity Implementation Model
- III.1, Community Engagement Typologies
- https://www.bangthetable.com/category/case-studies/
- Article: WSU recognized for commitment to community engagement https://news.wsu.edu/2015/01/07/wsu-recognized-for-commitment-to-community-engagement/ An example of an award- winning community engagement process embedded within an organizational structure.
Establish a center in the state capital that focuses on innovation and research in maternal and infant health through partnerships with the state’s departments and agencies, academic institutions, funder, business, and faith communities.
Activities to Begin in Support of 3.3
The Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, and Economic Development Authority, under the leadership of the Governor’s Office and First Lady’s Office, should continue the development of a plan to establish and launch a center dedicated to maternal and infant health innovation, anchored in Trenton, New Jersey, integrating the solutions to maternal and infant health challenges with innovative economic development.
Declare racism a public health crisis.
Activities to Begin in Support of 1.2
State legislators should work with the Governor’s Office to draft and introduce a resolution in the state legislature that declares racism a public health crisis that is weaved toxically through the fabric of New Jersey’s and the nation’s history. Even when covert, racism is present, operating, and damaging lives and livelihoods.
Tools, Resources and Models
- IV.4. Nurture NJ Resource Guide, Section V
- Nurture NJ Strategic Plan Companion Document: A Deeper Dive into Data and Key Concepts
- I.1. New Jersey Women Speak: New Jersey Isn’t the Greatest Place to Give Birth Now
- I.6. Racism in the United States
- I.7. The Science: Pathways of Racism’s Impact on Health
- The American Public Health Association publishes several sample declarations of racism as a public health crisis from around the US. Sample Declarations
All state departments and agencies should be required to implement, monitor, and evaluate a plan for increasing equity capacity and for maintaining capacity to promote racial equity in all policies, budgets, institutional practices, policies, systems, and structures.
Activities to Begin in Support of 1.1
- Department of Children and Families should continue the work of their Race Equity Committee to develop and pilot a model for statewide replication of an equity capacity training process.
- The model should be accessed and developed for training all senior level staff across state departments and agencies.
Tools, Resources and Models
- IV.4, Implementation Strategies and Tactics
- I.4, Nurture NJ Resource Guide, Section III, Health Impact Assessment and Health Equity Impact Assessment
- Human Impact Partners-website: https://humanimpact.org/products-resources/ issue-area/?filter=iss1-145 Publications, case studies and resources on health impact assessment.
- Article: Powell, S. A. & Haigh, F. A. Health Equity Impact Assessment http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/02/28/heapro.dat012.full
- Example of a Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) Workbook—Ontario: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/heia/docs/workbook.pdf
Establish an Office for State Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to reflect increased priority, enable a greater level of collaboration, and address the state’s equity needs.
Activities to Begin in Support of 1.3
- Work with the Office of the Attorney General and other relevant departments to determine the scope of this role to take on meaningful authority.
- Establish a point person at each state department or agency who is responsible for interfacing on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Tools, Resources and Models
- II.2. Organizational Racial Justice Assessment Tool
- Nurture NJ Strategic Plan Companion Document: A Deeper Dive into Data and Key Concepts, Article: II.3, Building Infrastructure to Support, Promote and Maintain Racial Equity and Community Power-Sharing in All Policies and Processes of Nurture NJ
Build upon the Nurture NJ Interdepartmental Working Group to initiate a permanent internal structure that meets quarterly to discuss planned programs and policies that impact maternal and infant health and racial disparities in birth outcomes, budget implications, break down internal silos, share possibilities for collaboration and develop a process for assessing health impacts of pending policies.
Activities to Begin in Support of 1.6
- Develop a pilot for an equity and/or community engagement assessment process for a select group of policies.
Tools, Resources and Models
- IV.2, R4P Equity Bundle Implementation
- Nurture NJ Strategic Plan Companion Document: A Deeper Dive into Data and Key Concepts, Articles: I.7, Racism/Health Impact Pathways
- IV.4, Implementation Strategies and Tactics
- I.13, Nurture NJ Resource Guide, Section III: Health Impact Assessment and Health Equity Impact Assessment
- Human Impact Partners-website: https://humanimpact.org/products-resources/ issue-area/?filter=iss1-145 Publications, case studies and resources on health impact assessment.
- Article: Powell, S. A. & Haigh, F. A. Health Equity Impact Assessment http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/02/28/heapro.dat012.full
- Example of a Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) Workbook—Ontario: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/heia/docs/workbook.pdf
All state departments and agencies should issue written statements of their commitment to community engagement.
Activities to Begin in Support of 2.2
- Draft and issue statements through a coordinated effort.
- Generate media interest in the commitment statements through proactive public releases and other proven communication strategies and tactics involving community groups and Nurture NJ advocates.
Tools, Resources and Models
- III.2, Community Power-Building and Ownership Diagram
Establish a center in the state capital that focuses on innovation and research in maternal and infant health through partnerships with the state’s academic, funder, business, and faith communities.
Activities to Begin in Support of 3.3
- The Economic Development Authority should formally convene the Nurture NJ Business Roundtable. This Roundtable can move into the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center as it is established and formalized.
Declare racism an ongoing public health crisis that will only cease with everyone’s collaborative efforts and vigilance.
Activities to Begin in Support of 1.2
State legislature should ensure passage of the resolution.
Tools, Resources and Models
The American Public Health Association publishes several sample declarations of racism as a public health crisis from around the US. Sample Declarations
Secure a Commitment to Action signed by the CEOs of all healthcare systems and leadership of health professional societies in New Jersey, which should include specific, measurable action steps to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity through the provision of equitable, evidence-based prenatal and postnatal care in New Jersey.
Activities to Begin in Support of 9.2
- Convene a meeting of health care CEOs to brief them on the Nurture NJ Strategic Plan.
Tools, Resources and Models
- I.4, Nurture NJ Resource Guide, Section II: Racial Equity Assessment and Learning Tools
Establish an Office for State Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to reflect increased priority, enable a greater level of collaboration, and address the state’s equity needs.
Activities to Begin in Support of 1.3
- Begin development of an Office for State Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Develop incentives for all public and private entities that increase multi-sector and cross-state collaboration and community engagement. Some examples include public recognition by state officials or a publicly recognized, statewide designation.
Activities to begin in support of 2.4
- Develop a statewide designation with criteria that should appeal to both public and private sector organizations to enthusiastically adopt community engagement strategies.
Tools, Resources and Models
- IV.4, Implementation Strategies and Tactics
Secure a Commitment to Action signed by the CEOs of all healthcare systems and leadership of health professional societies in New Jersey, which will include specific, measurable action steps to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity through the provision of equitable, evidence-based prenatal and postnatal care in New Jersey.
Activities to begin in support of 9.6
- Develop the Commitment to Action and begin securing signatories to be released publicly.
Tools, Resources and Models
- III.3, SPEAK UP Against Racism Pledge
Establish an Office for State Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to reflect increased priority, enable a greater level of collaboration, and address the state’s equity needs.
Activities to Begin in Support of 1.3
- Ensure appropriate staffing of the State Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office to address the state’s equity capacity building and structural change needs. This should include an Equity Auditor to carry out the duties of the Office and to monitor compliance with Recommendation 1.1.