Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, placing an immense burden on individuals, families, and communities. Racial and ethnic minority populations disproportionately face this burden, driven by persistent health inequities and disparities. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts to prevent and manage CVD risk factors, particularly hypertension, at individual, community, and systemic levels.

To support this critical work, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is proud to announce the launch of the Community of Practice (CoP) for Equity in Heart Health.

What is the Community of Practice for Equity in Heart Health?

This CoP is a dynamic, collaborative space where local health departments (LHDs) can connect to share resources, success stories, and innovative strategies to combat cardiovascular disease while addressing the social determinants of health and systemic inequities. By fostering collaboration and amplifying evidence-based practices, the CoP aims to empower public health professionals to reduce CVD disparities and improve health outcomes in underserved populations.

Why Join the CoP?

As a member of the Community of Practice for Equity in Heart Health, you will have the opportunity to:

• Share and learn best practices for advancing health equity in CVD prevention.
• Collaborate with peers to generate innovative ideas and solutions for overcoming challenges in reducing CVD risk.
• Build a trusted network of experts committed to improving cardiovascular health in vulnerable communities.

Membership Expectations

CoP members will be leaders in shaping the conversation and action around cardiovascular health and equity. Members will:

• Participate in three (3) virtual meetings between January and July 2025.
• Offer insights to support cardiovascular disease prevention efforts.
• Share and learn best practices to drive innovation in cardiovascular health while addressing health equity.
• Contribute ideas for timely and relevant topics for webinars, newsletters, and issue briefs.
• Identify and engage experts to develop resources, such as stories from the field, newsletters, issue briefs, and webinars
• Facilitate information sharing to raise local awareness of the burden of cardiovascular disease.
• Support the dissemination of innovative cardiovascular health programs.

Join Today!

NACCHO is seeking subject matter experts from LHDs to join this important initiative. Submit your interest by completing the CoP Contact List Form.

For more information or to express your interest, email us at [email protected].