Addressing Systemic Inequities: An Evaluation of the Resilience Catalysts in Public Health Program

This evaluation examines the Resilience Catalysts (RC) in Public Health program, which helps local health departments operationalize the Community Health Strategist role to address structural racism and systemic inequities. Through tools such as root cause analysis, systems mapping, and cross-sector convening, RC sites strengthened partnerships, advanced equity-focused thinking, and built capacity to address upstream drivers of adversity. Essential elements included the Pair of ACEs framework, group model building, and collaborative planning. Success depended on community engagement, leadership buy-in, flexible funding, and supportive political contexts. For preparedness practitioners, the key lesson is to embed systems thinking, equity, and cross-sector collaboration into resilience planning.