Multicultural Advisory Council

Fairfax County is an exceptionally diverse jurisdiction, with 161 languages and dialects spoken in homes here. And while our community is a great place to live, learn, work, worship, and play, persistent disparities predictable by race, neighborhood of residence, and other social categories still exist in outcomes related to employment, housing, health and more. Providing culturally appropriate services and linguistically suitable information on health issues, public health threats, and emergency preparedness across all sectors of the population can be a major challenge.

As part of an innovative multicultural outreach program, in 2007 the Health Department convened a Multicultural Advisory Council (MAC). Since its inception, the MAC has grown to include more than 30 member organizations and affiliates representing a broad cross-section of our diverse community, including the multiple non-English speaking groups who make up the majority of Fairfax County's ethnic population.

Purpose:

The Multicultural Advisory Council brings together leaders from faith-based communities, nonprofit organizations, community groups, the medical community, and other health-related organizations to provide the Health Department with grassroots-level insights on community health needs and concerns through a cultural lens.

“Strategic partnerships are central to ensuring the conditions in which everyone can be healthy. Given our highly diverse community, and the diversity of backgrounds and ethnicities represented on our Multicultural Advisory Council, our MAC plays a critical role in bringing diverse perspectives and solutions to addressing longstanding disparities and social inequities in the Fairfax community.” – Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, Director of Health

Pre-dating the defining concepts of Public Health 3.0 by nine years, the MAC is an example of convening broad, cross-sector engagement with community partners to respond to community needs. The MAC also illustrates how the Health Department leadership can serve as chief health strategist, mobilizing action to affect health determinants beyond the direct reach of our agency.

History:

The MAC was born out of the department’s Pandemic Flu preparedness planning and outreach efforts, which began in 2005. In assessing the department's impact and reach, it became clear that ongoing efforts would not reach everyone. The MAC became an invaluable strategy for communicating with some of the vulnerable populations (e.g. ethnic, elderly, and disabled) who were not getting the preparedness messaging. Two years later, Fairfax County was one of only two jurisdictions in Virginia to be awarded Pandemic Flu grants by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The funding was used to hire Community Health Specialists who, with the help of the MAC, gained deeper access to hard-to-reach communities and ethnic media.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the work of the group expanded. Members, and their networks, deployed quickly to provide the Health Department with knowledge about the urgent needs of people in neighborhoods across Fairfax County. As part of the department’s COVID-19 equity strategy, they volunteered to promote community-based testing and vaccination events and shared health-related resources widely. From the earliest days of the pandemic, the council provided the Health Department with extensive input on communications to ensure cultural competency of health messaging and access to resources.

Today the MAC helps the department educate ethnic communities; forge key partnerships with the business community to enhance participation in small business summits; better identify and engage key community partners; deliver messages to our non-English speaking communities; and evaluate the effectiveness of our outreach efforts.

Members:

To help ensure the sustainability of the initiative as well as the continuity of population representation, the Multicultural Advisory Council is made up of representatives from a broad assemblage of community organizations.  These include:

 

Meaning and Impact:

According to the Chinese American Community Health Services (CACHS), the MAC plays a significant role in bridging the gap between diverse communities and the health department. The CACHS' long-standing collaboration allows the Fairfax County Health Department and CACHS to coordinate emergency response efforts to ensure that resources are deployed efficiently and that vulnerable populations are effectively supported. Our partnership is characterized by trust, consistent and transparent communication, and a common set of objectives and vision.

"Serving on the council empowers our Chinese immigration community by giving us a platform to voice our concerns and contribute to decision-making processes that affect our health and well-being. In early 2021, CACHS teamed up with the Health Department to facilitate the distribution of thousands of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to members of the Chinese community over the course of nine vaccine clinic events. By leveraging existing community networks and trusted relationships, these partnerships help overcome barriers to access and promote health equity."

CACHS says that serving on the MAC offers opportunities for personal growth, leadership development, and professional networking, enhancing their skills and career prospects. Overall, the MAC is vital for creating a more inclusive, equitable, and effective public health system that serves the needs of all community members.

Tracy T. Hoang is Program Coordinator for Boat People SOS, who has been representing the Vietnamese community on the MAC for 4 years. She says their participation plays a crucial role in amplifying the voice of the Vietnamese population and ensuring that their needs and concerns are addressed in a meaningful and impactful way.

"One of the most significant impacts was about the access to information. Being part of the MAC gives our organization access to important information and updates on policies, programs, and resources that have been beneficial to the Vietnamese community. But it also provides a platform for sharing knowledge and insights about Vietnamese culture, values, and traditions. This helps to enhance the cultural competence of organizations and institutions, leading to more effective and culturally sensitive services for the Vietnamese community."

Tracy cites representation, advocacy, cultural competence, community engagement, resource allocation, education and awareness, and network building as reasons why serving on the MAC are important and the benefits of her organization's involvement on the council.

Rosalia Fajardo is the Director of Disability Equity Strategic Partnerships for the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia. Rosalia is one of the founding members of the MAC. She is invested in the work because she believes health and well-being are fundamental rights, and that every diverse community has the right to a quality life.

“Being on the MAC is one of the most rewarding activities I do as a community leader. It’s allowed me to build a network of colleagues, make friends, and ultimately better serve my community.”

 

 

 

 

Patricia Moreno, representing Anthem HealthKeepers Plus, has served on the MAC since its inception. She says that the work of the MAC is crucial as it allows for the representation of our community's interests and concerns and promotes cultural diversity and inclusivity, ensuring that our community’s vibrant voices are heard and valued.

"The MAC has ensured diverse voices within our community are heard, leading to a better understanding and addressing of unique needs and challenges we face. The MAC has fostered a greater sense of community engagement, educated our community, amplified societal sentiments, and influenced policies and actions for positive change. It has played a significant role in raising awareness about community-specific issues while promoting multicultural understanding, equality, and inclusion, thereby fostering harmony and mutual respect among community members."

Patrica says that her investment in the health and well-being of our community stems from the understanding that targeted policies and initiatives can effectively address specific health risks and challenges we face.

Our own Director of Health, Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu shares these thoughts on the impact of the MAC:

“If you're looking for a true partner, they have to understand you, and you need to understand where they're coming from. This is the Fairfax County Health Department’s guiding principle for establishing and sustaining community partnerships, which if nurtured, develops over time into reciprocal relationships. That's what we have with the MAC - a group of community leaders who have stood with us for decades, who understand the Health Department, and who have in turn helped us understand the community. When you have mutual understanding, you build trust. Once you have trust, you can work together to create opportunities and solve problems.”