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Office of Equity and Community Partnerships (OECP)
The Office of Equity and Community Partnerships (OECP) works to advance racial and health equity in King County. We do this by addressing the root causes of health inequities, including systemic racism.
Find information on what we do, who we are, and how you can connect with us.
Our community partners: We support and work with many partners – including other offices here at Public Health, community-based organizations, Community Navigators, academic and health institutions, media, and other public health departments and government agencies.
Immigrant and refugee resources
These resources are intended to support immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, mixed-status families, and the community organizations that support them.
Building equity by focusing upstream
Race and place impact health and quality of life in King County. As long as race and place are predictors of well-being, our vision for a King County where all people have access to health and equitable opportunities to thrive remains elusive.
Many of our public health, government and non-governmental policies and practices have historically been designed to react to problems and crises in our communities after they arise. Using a "stream" metaphor, these problems are the downstream results of inequities that exist in social, physical and economic conditions in our community (also known as social determinants of health or "determinants of equity"). Moving upstream allows us to examine the root causes of these conditions and create solutions that operate at a systems and structural level, ultimately preventing crises and problems from occurring and leading to healthier, more equitable outcomes. Focusing on the people and places where needs are greatest leads to improved outcomes for everyone.