DPH Office of Health Equity presents CHA findings; prioritizes overdose, cardiovascular disease and preterm birth

Deputy Director Navina Baba (Acting OHE Director) and Deputy Director Jenny Chacon briefed the commission on the Office of Health Equity’s priorities and the 2024 community health assessment (CHA). They emphasized that while San Francisco ranks highly on many population health measures, that overall success masks profound racial and neighborhood inequities.

OHE identified three priority areas to focus resources and measurement: overdose deaths (where Black residents experience markedly higher mortality), cardiovascular disease and premature deaths, and preterm birth disparities (with a reported 16% preterm birth rate for Black African American births in the CHA data cited by OHE). Chacon described SF Voices town halls conducted May–August that targeted neighborhoods with high disparities (Bayview, Sunnydale, Visitation Valley, Civic Center, Mission, Tenderloin and Western Addition) and partnering community‑based organizations to reach populations often missed by standard surveys.

OHE highlighted REAP (Racial Equity Action Plan) work including the RESPECT training pilot (implemented January 2025 at Laguna Honda), staff engagement results showing a 10‑point increase in staff reporting they feel respected, and Phase 2 plans to expand external engagement and embed equity in workforce and contracting practices. Baba also described a rubric developed to guide decisions about $17M in CBO contract reductions, prioritizing transparency, mission alignment and equity.