Health equity index.

Existing law establishes the Office of Multicultural Health within the State Department of Public Health to, among other things, perform strategic planning within the department. Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to develop departmentwide plans for implementation of goals and objectives to close the gaps in health status and access to care among the state's diverse racial and ethnic communities and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. This bill would require the State Department of Public Health to develop and utilize a health equity tool as part of the department's process for making evidence-based decisions regarding goals and objectives in the department's strategic plan. The bill would require the tool to reflect all available data and trends to enable the department to assess the basic needs of individuals, the quality and sustainability of the environment, adequate levels of economic and social development, health and social equity, and social relationships.