Charter for
The Alameda County Building Blocks for Health Equity Initiative
1.23.12
Building Blocks for Health Equity Initiative Overview
The Building Blocks for Health Equity Initiative (BB4HE, formerly Life Course Initiative) is a countywide
effort, started by the Alameda County Public Health Department in 2009, to integrate a new way of
thinking – the Life Course Perspective – to change the way we work and ultimately eliminate health
inequities.
Based on health and developmental research, The Life Course Perspective tells us that factors over a
lifetime, even before birth, impact long- term health – even life expectancy. It tells us that health is
more than access to health care, and develops over time as a result of multiple factors – either positive
or negative – in physical and economic environment, community, educational opportunity and
healthcare. The LCP helps us understand why persistent health inequities exist in Alameda County and
calls for a paradigm shift: we must work together to ensure the community conditions for health exist.
Currently, the Building Blocks for Health Equity Initiative is made up of three main groups – The BB4HE
Steering Committee, the Life Course Systems Design Committee (LSDC) and the Building Blocks
Collaborative (BBC) all of which are closely linked in activities, scope and vision.
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The BB4HE Steering Committee is the guiding body for the BB4HE, and is composed of both
ACPHD staff and partners.
The Life course Systems Design Committee (LSDC) is an internal workgroup of ACPHD engaged
in departmental capacity building to further the integration of the Life Course Perspective (LCP)
into ACPHD’s work with communities. The LSDC is working to translate life course principles into
practice and reorganize systems and services to meet the needs of families across the lifespan.
The Building Blocks Collaborative (BBC) is the BB4HE external collaborative of multi-sector
partners that strives to improve community conditions for health across the life course.
BB4HE Steering Committee
 The BB4HE Steering Committee is the guiding body for the BB4HE.
 BB4HE Steering Committee Composition:
o The BB4HE Steering Committee is composed ACPHD staff and non-ACPHD BBC
members.
o Non-ACPHD BBC members are selected through an application process, whereby
existing steering committee members vote.
o Applicants are ranked on the following criteria: Shown Commitment to BBC, Leadership
Ability, Equity/Social Justice Orientation, Partnership Ability, Communication Ability.
o BB4HE Steering Committee members participate for two-year terms, with the option to
renew, subject to a vote.
o BB4HE Steering Committee may recruit additional members. When community partners
represented on Steering Committee are fewer than ACPHD staff, the Steering
Committee may open the application process.
o BB4HE Steering Committee composition will strive to represent the county
geographically and ethnically and serve the best interests of the BB4HE.
 BB4HE Steering Committee will meet monthly. The BB4HE Steering Committee meeting is an
open meeting; all BB4HE participants are able to attend.
Life Course Systems Design Committee (LSDC)
 The LSDC is an internal workgroup of ACPHD engaged in departmental capacity building to
further the integration of the Life Course Perspective (LCP) into ACPHD’s work with
communities. The LSDC is working to translate life course principles into practice and reorganize
systems and services to meet the needs of families across the lifespan.
 The LSDC includes representatives from each ACPHD division: Family Health Services,
Community Health Services, Emergency Medical Services, DCDCP, and Administrative Services.
 The LSDC will meets as a full group quarterly with subcommittee activities occurring in between.
Building Blocks Collaborative (BBC)
 The BBC is a partnership of Alameda County organizations committed
to changing the way their organizations work – individually and
collectively – to create equitable community conditions that will
support well-being starting from the earliest stages in life. BBC strives
to include representatives from a diversity of organizations and
programs throughout the county identified by the four puzzle pieces:
physical and economic environment, community, education,
healthcare.
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BBC Mission: In response to inequities in health, wealth, and education that limit the ability of
Alameda County children to all realize their potential, together we will ensure a sustainable
multi-sector commitment to improved overall well-being for communities and the people who
live in them, from the earliest stage and throughout all stages of life.
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BBC Bill of Rights:
We believe that all children in Alameda County have a right to be born healthy, and to…
1. be believed in
2. live, play and grow in a clean, safe place
3. receive a quality education
4. be loved by a caring adult
5. eat healthy food
6. explore nature
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enjoy economic opportunity and financial security
access health care that promotes well-being
be free from discrimination and violence
be included & valued by a supportive community
BBC Levels of Participation:
o BBC members sign a membership commitment form, and participate actively by:
 providing bidirectional communication on their involvement between BBC and
their organization (using Roadshow and other BBC tools as needed to engage
leadership);
 attending trainings (e.g. social media, undoing racism, social inequities, others);
participating in workgroups; and
 leveraging resources, partnerships, and networks to advance health equity
through a Life Course Perspective.
 BBC members will be listed on our website.
o BBC supporters receive regular email updates and attend meetings irregularly.
BB4HE Decision-making
 With guidance from the BB4HE Steering Committee, ACPHD staff makes decisions related to
direction of BB4HE.
ACPHD staff strive to:
1. include Steering Committee, BBC and LSDC in decision-making
2. facilitate meetings to promote inclusion
3. use gradients of agreement for decisions among BBC, LSDC, and Steering Committee to
achieve consensus whenever possible.
4. document decision-making criteria to support transparency in decision-making.
5. make time-sensitive decisions in service to vision, mission, and guiding principles set by
BBC, LSDC, and Steering Committee
Principles regarding funding
 BBC members/supporters seeking funding are encouraged to request a letter of support from
the BBC from ACPHD staff. Email a sample letter to the BBC coordinator and it will be returned
on BBC letterhead within 1 week, pending implicit consent from the Steering Committee (1 day
will be given after email is sent to voice objections).
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ACPHD staff, on behalf of BBC, are committed to transparency in funding our work. We will
provide notice to the BB4HE Steering Committee and concerned parties when we seek funding
on behalf of BBC or individual BBC members. In decision-making related to funds, final decisions
will be the sole responsibility of the grantee under the contractual obligation of their funder.
This holds for ACPHD as convener of BBC as well as BBC members and supporters.
Amendment of This Charter
 This charter may be amended by written notification of proposed changes. The proposed
amendment will then be brought to the BB4HE Steering Committee for further discussion and
approval.