The project aims to provide a preliminary assessment of how Racial and Health Equity Impact Assessments (R/HEIAs) are being applied to state and local laws and proposed laws related to healthy eating and food access. The researchers will identify and collect examples of R/HEIAs conducted on healthy eating and related food policies, analyze the R/HEIAs, and develop preliminary recommendations addressing 1) food policy specific considerations that decisionmakers should consider when conducting and applying R/HEIAs; 2) R/HEIA-related considerations advocates should consider when developing healthy eating and related food policy proposals. The four steps in the outlined research plan are: 1) Identify R/HEIAs related to state/local food-relevant policies; 2) Conduct a formative content analysis of the identified R/HEIAs; 3) Evaluate and assess R/HEIA rigor and accuracy; and 4) Convene an informal advisory group consisting of government staff who conduct R/HEIAs and food policy advocates.
Start Date: May 2023
Organization: Public Health Law Center
Project Lead: Julie Ralston Aoki, JD
Resource Type: Commissioned Research Project Summary
Keywords: Equity and disparities, Law/policy
Focus Areas: Food Access, Healthy Communities
Related Research
May 2025
Implementation Insights and Equity: Considerations for Summer EBT in 2024
In 2024, the US Department of Agriculture introduced a new federal nutrition initiative, the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program—also known as SUN Bucks. This program offers grocery benefits to low-income families with children during the summer months to help address gaps in summer food assistance. In 2024, 37 states, all 5 US territories, and MoreMarch 2025
Applying Racial and Health Equity Impact Assessment for Better Policy Making
Addressing structural racism requires structural solutions. Racial and/or health equity impact assessments (R/HEIAs) help predict how a proposed policy, action, budget, or decision is likely to create, worsen, prevent, or reduce racial inequities. R/HEIAs are similar to fiscal notes or environmental impact assessments except that they focus on racial inequities. They analyze how a proposed MoreFebruary 2025