Southwestern Regional Health Equity Council: Application for Membership

The Southwestern Regional Health Equity Council (SWRHEC) is one of ten regional health equity councils formed to achieve health equity in the U.S. The SWRHEC is seeking new members to fill vacancies in the five states in our region: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. We seek qualified persons from these states who represent the following specific stakeholder groups and/or areas of expertise: health insurance plans, foundation/health philanthropy, physician practices, nursing practices, pharmacy practices, advocacy, policy, and cultural competency.

Vision: A nation free of disparities in health and health care.

Mission: To increase the effectiveness of programs that target the elimination of health disparities and address the determinants of health through the coordination of partners, leaders, and stakeholders committed to action within Region VI.


The SWRHEC has established the following priorities:

• Promote the education and training of Community Health Workers (CHWs) 
• Increase equity in policies that affect health and the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) 
• Increase health care access under the ACA 
• Implementation of the enhanced CLAS Standards all states within the region

SWRHEC Membership:
Council members work to advance health equity through policies, programs, and practice. Council members serve voluntarily on the RHECs. Each member serves for a term of four (4) year(s), beginning January 1, and for no more than two (2) consecutive terms. To ensure continuity of the Council, no more than one-third (1/3) of the members should rotate each year. Members are expected to participate by regularly attending meetings, serving on committees, developing and implementing action plans, disseminating information throughout their communities, and other such activities.


SWRHEC Member Responsibilities:
The responsibilities of the Council members are to:

• Serve as a body of experts championing and driving a collaborative health equity agenda; 
• Use transparent methods to engage inclusive stakeholder input to refine priority strategies; 
• Support and collaborate on projects of mutual benefit; 
• Develop and provide lateral, cross-boundary leadership and partnerships; 
• Monitor and assess progress; and 
• Assure accountability and drive sustainability.

Time Commitment:
Members are required to participate actively on the council by engaging in important council decisions and activities via conference and/or email communications. Regular meetings of the Health Equity Council (Council) occur bi-monthly.


How to Apply to Be a SWRHEC Member:
We are currently accepting applications from qualified individuals interested in becoming members of SWRHEC from the five states listed above. To submit an application for consideration:

1. Fill out the form below. Scroll down to see and enter all items. Then click Submit. 
2. Upload your letter of interest (limit to 2 pages) describing your interest, your general involvement in the community at large, and how your skills and abilities interests align with RHEC’s mission and RHEC VI priority areas. 
3. Upload your CV or resume (limit to 4 pages), using the upload function below the form

In addition to providing information about yourself and answering a few questions on the online application form, applicants must upload a current curriculum vita or resume. Applications must be submitted by midnight CST on October 14, 2016.


Selection of New Members:
Applications will be reviewed and considered based on the Council’s needs for filling member positions in the specific states, stakeholder groups, and areas of expertise listed above. We anticipate receiving more applications than the number of open positions. Therefore, if you are not selected for membership this year, we encourage you to reapply next year or in subsequent years as additional positions become open. .

Selected applicants will be notified by October 24, 2015. New members will be expected to attend the annual in-person Council meeting tentatively slated for November 15 - 17, 2016.

Janice Ford Griffin
SWRHEC Governance Committee Chair
janicefgriffin@outlook.com