How to Get Involved
Unnatural Causes is the acclaimed documentary series broadcast by PBS and now used by thousands of organizations around the country to tackle the root causes of our alarming socio-economic and racial inequities in health.
A Dozen Plus Ways to Take Action
The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy is partnering with California Newsreel and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to promote Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?
Here are suggestions on how your organization can get involved with this initiative:
- Incorporate the documentary and the focus on health equity and social justice into health district MAPP process.
- Identify who is working to address health inequities within your health district /organization and region.
- Identify partners and major stakeholders interested in learning more about the social determinants of health
- Organize a Brown Bag screening to explore how partners and major stakeholders can use the series to support its mission.
- Identify existing assets, programs, or initiatives that provide avenues for action.
- Post information about the series and what your organization is doing to address health disparities on your Web site and promote this to your partners and community stakeholders.
- Send information about the social determinants of health to partners and community stakeholders.
- Define a local angle for media: identify three health disparities you are focusing on and what you're doing about them.
- Work with your local PBS station to organize an event tied to the national broadcast.
- Identify other organizations and agencies doing work that promotes health equity.
- Organize a screening event to educate, mobilize and advocate for initiatives that promote health equity.
- Plan and/or conduct meetings in different venues.
- Promote the series among local health department.
- Set up a “loaner process” to allow community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, etc., to view the series and return the DVD after viewing.
Additional Resources
Unnatural Causes Website
California News Reel
National Connection for Local Public Health (NACCHO)
Virginia State Office of Minority Health
