The Health Equity Compact: Catalyzing Change in Massachusetts and Beyond

Voices of Public Health

This episode of the Delta Center podcast spotlights Michael Curry, Esq, the President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (Mass League) and one of the co-founders of the state’s Health Equity Compact. The Health Equity Compact brings together over 80 leaders of color across a diverse set of Massachusetts organizations—including hospitals, health centers, payers, academic institutions, and public health—who are dedicated to advancing health equity in Massachusetts. Michael Curry discusses the establishment of the Compact and the importance of bringing leaders of color to the table. Through his experience at the Mass League, Michael specifically emphasizes how health centers can and should be at the forefront of health equity work: “Why can't health centers be closer to the power?” The Mass League, together with the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, previously participated in Phase 1 of the Delta Center’s State Learning and Action Collaborative and has continued to drive positive change through coalition building in the state. The Health Equity Compact’s work demonstrates a strong movement toward health equity in Massachusetts and shows the importance of partnership and collective action in the state.