The scope of BARHII reaches beyond the categorical programs that focus on single diseases and risk factors to encompass the broad range of social and environmental conditions that affect community health. The reorientation of public health practice, and of the organization and culture of public health departments, is a central feature of BARHII's work.

The Practice Committee is developing new approaches to public health departments' interaction with other public and private entities that directly influence the health of communities. A key step in this process has been documenting and initiating partnerships in areas that are currently lacking and support other ongoing collaborative approaches to reducing health inequities.

The Internal Capacity Committee has implemented a work-plan to enhance the capacity and collaboration of multiple health departments to effectively eliminate health inequities. The focus of the work of this plan will be to build the capacity of public health departments and communities to work together. An emphasis on community engagement and the structural and institutional racism endemic in our organizations will guide strategic directions for individual/ programmatic and systems changes.