Dear colleagues,
I am excited to share a new report, Advancing Collaborative Governance A 15 Year Retrospective on the California Health in All Policies Task Force. Commissioned by the California Strategic Growth Council and written by our State of Equity staff team, the report documents how California has used Health in All Policies as a strategy to advance health equity and racial justice through effective, accountable government. It reflects the work of hundreds of public servants and partners and offers practical lessons for people working inside and alongside government who are committed to making public institutions fairer, more effective, and more responsive to community needs.
At its core, Health in All Policies is about health equity and racial justice. Health is shaped by housing, transportation, climate, education, economic opportunity, and community safety, and by the policies and systems that have produced racial inequities across all of these areas. Racism is a public health crisis, and HiAP gives government a practical way to address it by working across silos, using public resources more effectively, and centering community priorities in decision-making.
The report was presented to the Strategic Growth Council on December 10, 2025, and prompted a wide ranging discussion about what Health in All Policies has meant in practice. Council members emphasized shared power, community engagement, and cross agency collaboration as expectations for how government does its work. They also underscored the importance of embedding equity into daily operations, noted the cultural shift HiAP has helped create inside government, and warned that California’s health and equity commitments face real and ongoing threats.
- Council-member Kim Johnson, Health and Human Services Secretary, underscored that shared power and community engagement are core expectations for how policy is made and programs are designed, and said this is “the way we do business now.”
- Karen Ross, Food and Agriculture Secretary, noted that “[this work has] built a lot of trust cross agency” and spoke to the cultural shift inside government that has come about because of the HiAP Task force.
- Sarah Izant, Deputy Secretary of CalEPA, noted that the current federal landscape “underscores the importance of this work being done in California” and the need to embed equity into the daily work of state agencies.
- Tamika Moss, Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency Secretary underscored how the social determinants of health bind departments together.
The report also highlights the sustained partnerships that made this work possible. The HiAP Task Force reflects long-term collaboration among state agencies, community leaders, advocates, and philanthropy. Early investments from The California Endowment helped launch the Task Force, with continued support over time from Kaiser Permanente, The California Wellness Foundation, and Blue Shield of California Foundation. Together, these partnerships created the infrastructure for deeper and more explicit racial equity work within government.
One of the most impactful outcomes of the Task Force is the Capitol Collaborative on Race and Equity, or CCORE. Created in partnership with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, CCORE supports state leaders in building the skills and shared practice needed to address racism in policy making, budgeting, hiring, and community engagement. To date, CCORE has supported nearly 600 staff across more than 60 departments, agencies, boards, and commissions in developing racial equity leadership teams and action plans. This work helped pave the way for the 2023 launch of the California Racial Equity Commission, which released a statewide Racial Equity Framework in December 2025. It has also led to creation of a new national initiative, States Advancing Racial Equity, which supports state workers in more than 35 states.
As California prepares for a gubernatorial transition, Health in All Policies is as important as ever. State and local government are being asked to deliver results amid tightening resources while our beloved communities are under attack. Health in All Policies offers a proven, cost-effective approach by focusing on the needs of communities, reducing duplication, aligning efforts across agencies, and advancing health and racial equity. The HiAP Task Force, CCORE, and the Racial Equity Commission are positioned to adapt to changing political conditions and carry this work forward into the next administration.
Health in All Policies is not unique to California. It is practiced by governments across the United States and around the world, including many cities and counties. California’s approach has been shaped by ongoing exchange with peers working in different political, cultural, and institutional contexts. We are grateful for the shared learning that has strengthened this work.
I hope this report supports people who are doing Health in All Policies work or looking for practical ways to begin. I invite you to read the full retrospective, share your reflections and experiences, and connect with us and others in this growing field. California’s experience over the past fifteen years shows that when government works across boundaries, listens to communities, and centers fairness, it can strengthen outcomes and trust over time.
Julia Caplan
Executive Director
State of Equity
State of Equity is a program of the Public Health Institute