Whether it’s transportation issues, translation and interpretation needs, or a lack of health insurance – barriers to healthcare need to be addressed and equitably transformed.

Structural & System Barriers are obstacles that collectively affect a group disproportionately and perpetuate or maintain stark disparities in outcomes. Structural barriers can be policies, practices, and other norms that favor an advantaged group while systematically disadvantaging a marginalized group.
(Source: Urban Institute)

Community projects in this category offer strategies such as combating structural & systemic barriers to basic needs, particularly in healthcare such as language/communication, transportation, income, lack of care providers, lack of insurance, racism, sexism, etc.

Examples of Activities:

• Educate providers on systemic barriers like racism, sexism, etc. via cultural competency training
• Providing telehealth services to patients/clients with no access to transportation to and from appointments
• Provide transportation vouchers and passes
• Hire community health worker(s) to address social determinants of health and provide referrals to community resources