An Advocacy Roadmap for the Council on Black Health Policy Roundtable, giving state and local advocates concrete policy strategies to protect and improve the health of Black communities. It outlines 10 policy approaches, from increasing funding for community health centers to regulating healthcare-related artificial intelligence, each grounded in peer-reviewed evidence, with real-world implementation examples from jurisdictions across the country and clear documentation of the legal and political barriers that may arise during enactment.
The Advocacy Roadmap serves as a practical toolkit for advocates navigating complex legislative environments. It arrives amid persistent health disparities in Black communities and a shifting policy landscape that threatens existing protections.
Currently, Black maternal mortality stands at 44.8 deaths per 100,000 live births (more than three times the rate for white women), while 32% of Black workers earn less than $17 per hour, concentrated in states where minimum wages remain at the federal floor of $7.25. At the same time, advocates face new headwinds. Federal executive orders issued since January 2025 target diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and growing federal pressure on state artificial intelligence regulation has created litigation risks for the jurisdictions that moved first.
“Advocates don’t need another report telling them Black communities face worse health outcomes. They need to know which policies have actually moved, where they’ve been implemented, and what will stand in the way. Every organization in this network is already fighting on some piece of this, but what has been missing is a shared map. When we’re working from the same evidence and the same set of strategies, our individual wins start adding up to something,” said Dr. Melicia Whitt-Glover, Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Black Health.
Each of the 10 policy strategies includes documented implementation examples from states and cities where similar efforts succeeded, along with specific legal and political constraints that advocates should anticipate, such as state preemption laws that block local minimum wage ordinances or federal pressure on AI regulation that has led to litigation. The assessment framework helps advocates prioritize based on feasibility, resource requirements, and jurisdictional authority, whether working at the municipal, state, or federal level.
By consolidating peer-reviewed evidence, legislative precedent, and barrier analysis in one document, the roadmap saves advocates time on research and provides credibility when building coalitions with policymakers who demand data-driven justification for proposed legislation.
Several other strategies stand out for their timeliness and demonstrated impact.
- Prescription drug affordability boards have been enacted in 10 states as of May 2025, with Colorado reviewing four drugs in 2024 and finding three unaffordable for chronic inflammatory diseases that may disproportionately affect Black communities.
- Zoning for food production targets food access, with roughly 20% of Black households living in a food desert. Birmingham, Alabama established a healthy food overlay district in 2019, allocating $865,000 to redevelop Village Market into a full-service grocery store in a city where 69% of residents lived in food deserts at the time.
- Reproductive choice codification protects access for 23 states and D.C. as of May 2025, though six in ten Black women ages 18-49 still reside in states with abortion bans or restrictions. Colorado’s amendment removed the state’s previous constitutional ban on public funding for abortions.
“This roadmap gives us real tools and research that we can take into state capitols and city councils right now. The question for every organization in this network is which of these ten strategies fits the fight you’re already in, and how fast you can move on it to achieve the greatest impact,” said Dr. Leah Austin, President and CEO of the National Black Child Development Institute.
The policy scan drew on peer-reviewed literature, gray literature, and prior ChangeLab Solutions scans, alongside analysis of 19 Black legislative caucuses, including the Congressional Black Caucus, and feedback sessions with Council on Black Health Policy Roundtable members. Research and policy analysis were conducted in partnership with ChangeLab Solutions, and the work was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
For immediate access to Law and Policy Strategies to Advance Black Health: An Advocacy Roadmap for the Council on Black Health Policy Roundtable, journalists and partners can download the document directly. is available on CBH’s website.