Dearborn Public Health partners with the National League of Cities to advance health equity
Dearborn joins 4 other cities in the highly selective “NLC Action Cohort,” a national program to develop plans and receive expert support on reducing health disparities
 
DEARBORN, MI – The Dearborn Department of Public Health (DPH) is proud to represent Dearborn in a new 15-month immersive peer-to-peer network organized annually by the National League of Cities (NLC).

Among the network’s goals is to address health inequities by developing and implementing comprehensive and equitable policies. Dearborn was selected alongside four other cities from across the country to develop action plans and receive tailored, expert assistance from the NLC and national consultants to advance its efforts to reduce health disparities by addressing the root causes of social, economic, and racial inequities. The five cities are Austin, Texas; Dearborn, Michigan; Manchester, New Hampshire; Montgomery, Alabama; Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud stated, “This is a special opportunity to share insights with cities across the U.S., and to bring Dearborn into national conversations about municipal governance. We’re honored to have been selected and excited for the collaboration and innovation this partnership will inspire.”

Dearborn’s Chief Public Health Officer and Director of Public Health Ali Abazeed stated, "Dearborn is proving that cities can strengthen democracy by leading with equity. At DPH, our philosophy is to place justice at the center of every decision, address systemic disparities, and prioritize marginalized communities' well-being. We are excited to have been chosen for this important opportunity and are eager to collaborate with our partner cities."

Through this cohort, DPH is leading an effort to institute collaborations across the city government, and among the community, to advance health considerations across all sectors. With NLC’s support, DPH seeks to identify opportunities, outline strengths, and pinpoint strategies to turn Dearborn into a model city of sustainability across the region.

The Action Cohort, whose mission is “Accelerating Real, Transformative Progress across City Issues to Advance Health and Equity,” provides city leaders a proven, comprehensive and coordinated approach to making changes in policies, practices, systems and structures that impact physical, behavioral, social and economic well-being. This initiative uses a data- and community-driven framework to meet cities where they are in their journey to promote health equity for all residents.

NLC, through its Cities of Opportunity initiative, aims to help local leaders address the interconnected factors that affect the health and life expectancy of their residents by exploring the root causes of inequities. This cohort program runs from February 2023 through May 2024 and is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

About NLC

The National League of Cities (NLC) is the voice of America's cities, towns, and villages, representing more than 200 million people. NLC relentlessly advocates for and protects the interest of cities, towns and villages by influencing federal policy, strengthening local leadership and driving innovative solutions.

About DPH

Dearborn Public Health (DPH) was formally launched in April 2022, making Dearborn just the second city in Michigan with a formal health department, and the first to launch one voluntarily. Under Abazeed’s leadership, DPH is piloting “health-in-all-policies,” a governance strategy that institutes health considerations into all policymaking to improve the health of the Dearborn public.

Photo caption: Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud and Chief Public Health Officer Ali Abazeed. Photo courtesy of Maen Hammad.

Photo caption: Dearborn Chief Public Health Officer Ali Abazeed and DPH fellows at Salina School in City’s South End. Photo courtesy of Brian Lillie, University of Michigan School of Public Health.