Racism is a Public Health Crises, CT Senate Declares

The Connecticut State Senate – with bipartisan support - has passed Senate Bill 1, which takes several key steps to address systemic racism in Connecticut. This bill declares racism a public health crisis; creates a cross-sector commission to set goals and create a strategic plan for dismantling systemic racism as it impacts public health; defines the doula profession; standardizes how race, ethnicity, and language data are collected; and takes other steps to address the impacts of racism on health in our state.

“I would like to say it is time, but it is long past the time. We have an opportunity to address the inequities in our state and the steps included in S.B.1 are critical to the fight for health equity and are urgently needed,” said Tekisha Dwan Everette, PhD., Executive Director of Health Equity Solutions (HES).   

The organization has been among those strongly advocating for the legislation, and for municipalities across the state to take similar action.  Health Equity Solutions urged legislators in the House to “act quickly for these vital provisions to become law and for Connecticut to join states across the nation in publicly stating our anti-racist values.”

 “S.B.1 is extremely impactful and throughout the past year as we have met the challenges of the pandemic, we have identified areas within physical, mental, and behavioral health that need to be addressed. In addition, almost a year ago on Juneteenth I stood with my colleagues outside of the Capitol and we pledged to make our state more equitable," Senator Mary Daugherty Abrams, Senate co-chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee.

“People say you can't undo racism, but you can create legislation that takes us in the right direction," added Senator Marilyn Moore, Senate co-chair of the legislature’s Human Services Committee.

Since June of 2020, 21 municipalities in Connecticut have declared racism a public health crisis and many others are discussing resolutions or taking similar actions. Those municipalities are Bloomfield, Bridgeport, Colchester, Farmington, Glastonbury, Hamden, Hartford, Manchester, Meriden, Middletown, New Britain, New Haven, New London, Old Saybrook, Simsbury, South Windsor, Stratford, West Hartford, West Haven, Windham, and Windsor.

“We need to bring attention to racism. We need to make sure we are talking about racism in our communities and in our state. we also need to make sure as a body and elected officials that we are undoing bad laws because giving respect to one another is one thing, but changing policies and undoing laws & mistakes from the past is also extremely important," said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff.  Added Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly, “This is a good bill. It brings focus to a much-needed, long-overdue conversation that needs to happen not only in this building but across our great state.”

The legislation was approved in the Senate by a 30-5 vote.  It creates a new state commission that will be charged with documenting the effect of racism on public health in Connecticut.  A strategic plan to respond would be developed by Jan. 1, 2022, aimed at eliminating health disparities across a range of areas of daily life.

“This is going to save lives, not only in the coming weeks and months but for many, many years. I am excited that we are having real conversations and I’m glad and hopeful that this is a kind of bill where we could get all 36 of us to unite and say: ‘we will take care of our community and our state and every citizen in the best possible way so we have a healthy state going forward,’” said State Senator Saud Anwar, who is also a physician.