• The [Group Name] recognizes there are major disparities within communities related to overdose. There are also disparities in access to services like treatment, harm reduction, and prevention. There are also disparities in the drivers of both substance use and substance use disorders. These disparities are driven by structural racism and other historical, structural systems of oppression. 

• The [Group Name] is committed to centering and addressing these disparities in all its work. Equity is especially important in all funding [decisions/recommendations].  

• The {Group Name} is committed to the teaching of Dr. Maya Angelou: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”  The [group name] works with the community to get input on this plan. The plan is reviewed, edited based on feedback, and recommitted to every year.  

  Equity Expectations Policy (EEP)  [Timeline] as approved and committed to by [group name]  on {date}: 

1. Transparency 

• {Group Name} members support [geographical purview: state, county, municipality, tribal entity, etc] activities to collect, analyze, and publicly share data about disparities in overdose outcomes and access to services. These include prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery supports, and other key services. We prioritize [geographical area’s name] focus on disparities in BIPOC communities and [any other known disparities in your community like veterans, LGBTQ, zip code, etc]. 

• [Group name] should offer multiple pathways for all interested parties to provide input and feedback on how the [group name] operationalizes equity, as well as the progress towards addressing disparities, and use this input to drive change, including efforts that take place in community-based spaces with a focus on underserved communities of color. 

• The [geographical area’s name]  should ensure that all information be publicly available in as many languages as appropriate to the community, and in accessible non-academic, non-legal language. 

• The [Group Name] should publish demographic data on their members. This should include if the member has a lived- or living-experience. 

1. Using Strong, Equity-Focused {Recommendation/Decision Making Processes} 

• The [group name] should get regular training on equity issues and disparities seen in the data sets related to  overdose and access to services. 

• The [geographic area name] proactively and regularly share recommendations and progress reports in community-based spaces, with a focus on BIPOC communities.  

• Ensure an accessible, equitable path for community engagement in the [recommendation/decision making]  process.  

• Address Social Determinants of Health by allowing the allocation of funding to directly support the needs of participants such as transportation, housing, childcare, or other basic resource needs which participants have identified as barriers to using services. 

• The committee should prioritize funding using evidenced-based and equity-informed strategies. They should also recognize that disproportionately impacted populations are often excluded from research and the development of an evidence-basis. The [funding body] should get feedback from local experts, especially those with lived- or living-experience, about the proposed approach. They should especially consider funding programs without a strong evidence-basis when they are developed by and for BIPOC communities. Funding should include evaluation funding. 

1. Equitable Procurement  

To ensure equitable procurement processes, the [funding body] should: 

• Use the most accessible path to procurement to best support the ability for BIPOC-led and smaller organizations to compete on a level playing field in the procurement process. 

• Promote equity-focused best practices in the procurement process. 

• Ensure that all procurements acknowledge structural racism. 

• Ensure all procurements require all programs to be delivered by vendors in compliance with Culturally and Linguistically Accessible Services (CLAS) standards. 

• Ensure all procurements require all programs to be delivered in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requirements. 

• Ensure that Grant Review Committees are developed with equity in mind. Include people from communities of color and people with lived- or living- experience of substance use. 

• Provide Requests for Proposals (RFP) review committees with training on equity, CLAS, and ADA issues. 

• Assign RFP review points for equity, CLAS, anti-stigma and ADA responsiveness. 

• Assign points to organizations that are BIPOC- run and/or programs led by staff with lived experience. 

• Outreach to and offer grant opportunities for culturally specific programs seeking to expand capacity for drug user health services. 

1. Capacity Building and Technical Assistance:   

The {funding body} should: 

• Offer an indirect rate for procurements that gives enough resources to smaller organizations and does not favor larger organizations. 

• Commit funding operational needs for organizations with BIPOC-led or peer-based programing to help them recruit, retain, and support staff. 

• Require all vendors to develop and implement an equity plan for each contract within three months of grant award, and report on plan compliance in regular reports. The plan should include: 

• How service delivery addresses identified equity issues, especially for members of Rhode Island’s BIPOC communities 

• Opportunities to maximize demographic reporting when appropriate 

• At least one evaluation metric specific to closing the identified disparity, especially for members of Rhode Island’s BIPOC communities 

• CLAS and ADA supports 

• Technical assistance or other supports needed 

• Require all vendors to complete training on diversity and racial equity, CLAS and ADA (delivered through TA contract) as appropriate. 

• Require robust evaluation of all activities, including the impact of all funded interventions on overdose and access to care outcomes. Prioritize investments in evaluation for programs that did not previously have an evidence or evidence-informed basis that focus on disproportionately impacted or historically excluded participants. 

• Invest funds/ensure sufficient funding in the contracts to adequately support all equity-focused requirements. 

1. Equitable Communications and Operations 

The [group name]  should: 

• Develop, memorialize, and implement diversity and racial equity standards for [group name] meetings, events, and communications, as well as all events, meetings, and communications funded with opioid settlement or stewardship funds. This includes all meetings and activities of [Group Name]. 

• Regularly report on [group name] activities and progress in community-based spaces with a focus on underserved communities. 

• Develop and adopt ADA/CLAS/equity event and communications standards. 

• Publicize the EEP and provide training and technical assistance to {funding body] staff, community partners, and vendors on implementing the plan. 

1. Strong Implementation  

• Once the EEP is approved, {title/role assigned to operationale) will develop an annual implementation plan and timeline.  

• The plan  will  reflect the importance of the work within the context of available resources and other [group name] priorities. 

• {group name} understands this work will progress over the coming months and years.  [Group Name]  commits to ongoing-active engagement in this work. 

• The [Group Name} will publicly report progress on the EEP every year. 

* This plan is heavily based on a plan approved by the Rhode Island Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee (OSAC) on June 23rd, 2023, developed in partnership with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, State of Rhode Island. https://eohhs.ri.gov/Opioid-Settlement-Advisory-Committee. The scholar appreciates the leadership of the OSAC and the sharing of their work with the public.