Illustrative Examples of CORE Goals

Transform surveillance systems to include drivers of health disparities and inequities in addition to markers (race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, ability, sexual orientation)

Provide data on SDOH and racial/ethnic health disparities via the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s collection, analysis, and reporting of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from at least 25 states to be used by public health professionals, researchers, and CDC programs for public health action and impact, by September 2023.

Address data gaps and harmonize data systems across the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease to ensure 100% of surveillance systems include a standard set of relevant health equity data elements aligned with agency standards or have a plan to do so, by December 2024.

Seek to expand questions and biomarkers that assess SDOH and health inequity in the new National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collection conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) in 2023. Questions that measure forms of self-reported discrimination and laboratory biomarkers for inflammation, allergies, or stress will be explored.

Collect information on gender identity among sample adults in the National Health Interview Survey administered by NCHS, beginning on January 1, 2022.

Build health equity data science capacity to conduct, translate, and disseminate analysis or statistical studies and use multi-level modelling and predictive analytical approaches

Enhance the footprint of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) within the National Center for Environmental Health in environmental justice communities by developing a baseline of current activities and ensuring that 100% of ATSDR’s health assessments and health consultations address health inequities and quantify health impacts in communities at risk for potential exposure to releases from hazardous waste sites, by July 2022.

Implement standard health equity measures that are seamlessly integrated into CDC global data collection efforts (surveys, surveillance, routine program, supply chain, laboratory) conducted and used by the Center for Global Health (CGH) to reach epidemic and accelerated disease control and disease eradication and elimination among marginalized populations, by 2025.

Measure the residential (county-level) social vulnerability of people living with sickle-cell disease in 11 states via the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities to understand the impact of SDOH outcomes and provide information relevant to program planning to states, by December 2024.

Leverage clinical and public health laboratory capabilities within the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (CSELS) to reduce the incidence of diagnostic errors associated with death or serious disability by 10% for conditions most likely to be misdiagnosed among ethnic, racial, or other disproportionately-affected groups, by September 30, 2026.

Prioritize science agendas that build the evidence base for health equity

Lead CDC programs via the Office of Health Equity (OHE) to achieve greater coordination, systems changes, and innovations through implementation science by integrating health equity principles in 75% of CDC’s public health programs, policies, data systems and funding structures, by December 2023.

Support, coordinate, and accelerate via the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health the transformation of research approaches and data practices so that a greater number of research and surveillance efforts are specifically directed toward advancing occupational safety and health equity, by December 31, 2025. (NIOSH)

Increase the proportion of CDC projects (e.g., research, surveillance, and evaluation) that contribute to the evidence base for decreasing health disparities by 50% by December 2025, with Office of Science guidance, training, fellowship and technical support. (OS)

Build and deploy program interventions regarding evaluation, funding criteria, and public engagement and approaches for scaling systems interventions.

Increase the proportion of the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support infrastructure, capacity-building grants, and cooperative agreements that explicitly address health disparities or SDOH, by February 2023.

Implement indigenous evaluation approaches for 100% of the Division of Injury Prevention-funded programs within the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control serving American Indian and Alaska Native populations to advance injury and violence prevention efforts and programs, by 2026.

Distribute resources super-proportionally to 60% of National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD), and Tuberculosis Prevention (NCHHSTP) main health department or educational agency Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) in geographic areas that experience a disproportionate burden of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis, by December 2023.

Identify and reach underserved populations with immunity gaps in all countries deemed priority by the Global Immunization Division within CGH through vaccination services to achieve measurable reductions in mortality and morbidity from targeted vaccine-preventable diseases, by December 31, 2026.

Identify and implement key multi-sector policy levers to advance health equity

Reduce racial/ethnic disparities for Ending the HIV Epidemic key indicators including knowledge of HIV status, living with HIV while virally suppressed, and PrEP coverage for individuals recommended for PrEP among programs supported by the Division of HIV Prevention, by December 2025.

Support up to 80% of CIOs via the Office of the Associate Director for Policy and Strategy to build health-equity-related evidence-based policy intervention capacity through technical assistance.

Enhance cross-cutting coordination on health equity via partnerships, extramural support, and external communication

Investigate and pursue large-scale implementation of strategies that build upon the Center for Preparedness and Response’s efforts to address SDOH and promote health equity and community resilience across the nation, by December 2025.

Increase the number of research applications the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) receives from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) by 25%, with at least two MSI applications successfully competing for NCIPC funding and a 25% increase in successful applications in which the principal investigator is from a racial or ethnic minority group, by December 2026.

Help programs address health equity in their grants and cooperative agreements via the Office of the Chief Operating Officer by 1) promulgating CDC and Department of Health and Human Services requirements and recommendations and 2) partnering with the Program Performance and Evaluation Office, the OHE, the Office of Science, and Extramural Research Program Operations to provide guidance and technical assistance.

Bolster efforts to ensure health equity is an inextricable part of workforce management and operations in public health

Develop collaborations between the Office of Women’s Health and at least four internal and five external partners to develop and implement strategies and policies that address gendered racism and gender discrimination in the workplace, by December 2025.

Increase the number of Disease Intervention Specialists hired nationally by 25% via NCHHSTP to better respond to COVID-19 and address prevention and control of infectious diseases, including STIs, among populations disproportionately affected by them to improve diversity, equity and inclusion among the disease intervention workforce, by March 31, 2026.