A newsletter for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) brought to you by the Technical Assistance (TA) Team, Office of Health Equity, CDPH, every first Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to The Equity Scoop! 

County Spotlight: 

San Luis Obispo - Applying Lessons Learned from COVID-19 to Reach Indigenous Communities 

San Luis Obispo County Public Health Staff and Volunteers.

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the disproportionate health burden on Latinx residents and called attention to a growing, and often unnoticed Indigenous community in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County. While demographic data is available for the Latinx community in SLO County, disaggregated data on Indigenous people does not exist locally. Like many other Indigenous languages, Mixteco is traditionally spoken (not written) and comprises more than 81 variants. Mixteco speakers are often wrongly classified as Spanish speakers as many Californians are not aware of the existence of Indigenous languages and assume that anyone who is Hispanic or Latinx speaks Spanish. In addition to these challenges, Latinx and Indigenous communities are also at increased risk of being exposed to COVID-19 misinformation that can create barriers to accessing health services and protective measures.  

To address these challenges, the SLOPHD team developed a multifaceted approach to engaging with and providing health information and services to local Mixteco-speaking community members.  

SLOPHD contracted with Herencia Indigena to provide Mixteco interpretation for all Public Health programs and services. Herencia Indigena also provides regular Mixtec Cultural Awareness Trainings for SLOPHD staff, healthcare providers, and community partners. The interactive training provides an open forum to discuss cultural norms, beliefs, and traditions related to Indigenous communities, explains the differences in local cultural practices as they relate to healthcare, and identifies specific communication styles utilized in different cultural backgrounds.  

Through these efforts, the SLOPHD team will continue working to better understand and engage local Mixteco-speaking communities, so community members may better connect with health information and services. 

For more information about San Luis Obispo County’s COVID-19 Outreach to Indigenous Communities, please contact Jen Miller, Health Equity Program Manger.  

National Disability Employment Awareness Month 

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National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) acknowledges the contributions to the nation’s economy made by workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. The theme for NDEAM 2022 is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation.” The federal effort to recognize people with disabilities began in 1945, when Congress declared the first week of October to be “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” The word “physically” was dropped in 1962 to include individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week and dedicated the month of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. 

How to Observe National Disability Employment Awareness Month: 

1. Review your organizational policies: A great way to show support to employees is to take time to review your organization’s culture by double-checking that those with disabilities are included. 
2. Hold a discussion: NDEAM is a great opportunity to organize discussions around disability employment.  
3. Create a NDEAM press release: Formal statements reiterating the commitment of your agency to foster inclusive workplace culture for employees with disabilities will highlight the importance of this. 

For more information and additional resources, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.