Diversity competent public health professionals

The justification for these professionals possessing these skills can be found in numerous places including in various public health unit mandates, key public health guiding documents, the mandates and directions of health- related organizations, the health research literature, as well as in recent developments in the public health field. [...] A number of these that are pertinent to this discussion include: 1. Public Health Mandates (Ontario): In Ontario, public health units are guided by the provincial Mandatory Health Programs and Service Guidelines (Ministry of Health, 1997) which set out minimum health programs and standards that all Ontario public health units must provide. [...] In order to ensure that everyone in Ontario has access to public health programs and in order to reduce educational, social and environmental barriers to accessing mandatory public health programs, public health units are required to meet the Equal Access Standard which states: 1. The board of health shall provide mandatory public health programs and services whenever practical and appropriate, wh [...] Equity is addressed when public resources are distributed according to individual and community needs in order to substantially narrow the gap between the advantaged and the disadvantaged and to achieve improved levels of health and well being for all in Ontario. [...] The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, a founding document for health promotion, states that health promotion focuses on achieving equity in health and reducing differences in current health status and ensuring equal opportunities and resources to enable all people to achieve their fullest health potential (World Health Organization, 1986).