Strategic Goal 3: Strengthen Social Well-being, Equity, and Economic Resilience

Strategic Objective 3.1: Provide effective and innovative pathways leading to equitable economic success for all individuals and families

Strategic Objective 3.2: Strengthen early childhood development and expand opportunities to help children and youth thrive equitably within their families and communities

Strategic Objective 3.3: Expand access to high-quality services and resources for older adults and people with disabilities, and their caregivers to support increased independence and quality of life

Strategic Objective 3.4: Increase safeguards to empower families and communities to prevent and respond to neglect, abuse, and violence, while supporting those who have experienced trauma or violence

HHS works to strengthen the economic and social well-being of Americans across the lifespan.  HHS provides effective and innovative pathways leading to equitable economic success for all individuals and families.  The Department strengthens early childhood development and expands opportunities to help children and youth thrive equitably within their families and communities.  HHS expands access to high-quality services and resources for older adults and people with disabilities, and their caregivers to support increased independence and quality of life.  HHS also increases safeguards to empower families and communities to prevent and respond to neglect, abuse, and violence, while supporting those who have experienced trauma or violence.

In the context of HHS, this Strategic Plan adopts the definition of underserved communities listed in Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government to refer to “populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, who have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life”; this definition includes individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.  Individuals may belong to more than one underserved community and face intersecting barriers.  This definition applies to the terms underserved communities and underserved populations throughout this Strategic Plan.

Related Executive Orders (EO) and White House Action Plans and Memoranda:

  • EO 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency
  • EO 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
  • EO 13988: Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation
  • EO 13993: Revision of Civil Immigration Enforcement Policies and Priorities
  • EO 14000: Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers
  • EO 14002: Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • EO 14010: Creating a Comprehensive Regional Framework to Address the Causes of Migration, to Manage Migration Throughout North and Central America, and to Provide Safe and Orderly Processing of Asylum Seekers at the United States Border
  • EO 14011: Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families
  • EO 14012: Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans
  • EO 14013: Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration
  • EO 14031: Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
  • EO 14045: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics
  • EO 14049: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges
  • EO 14050: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans
  • EO 14091: Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
  • Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships
  • National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, January 2021
  • Path Out of the Pandemic: President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan

Related Legislation:

Within HHS, the following divisions are working to achieve Strategic Goal 3: Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Administration for Community Living (ACL), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Indian Health Service (IHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office of Global Affairs (OGA), and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

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Content created by Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
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