Minnesota Agencies

The MDH HEAL Council serves to advise the Minnesota Department of Health. MDH will rely on the advisory council to provide forthright and constructive feedback on the strategic direction of the Center for Health Equity and MDH. Goals include evaluating short- and long-term priorities and ensuring that MDH interfaces successfully with communities most impacted by health inequities.

By January 15 each year, the commissioner or a designee, in collaboration with the advisory council, must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health policy and finance summarizing the work of the advisory council over the previous year and setting goals for the upcoming year.

A note in the the 2017 Annual Compilation and Statistical Report of Multi-member Agencies states: "Formerly this was under the Eliminating Health Disparities Statute (145.928), however the HEAL Council will be broader in scope and falls under the Commissioner's authority as the Commissioner of Health."

In 2023 the Legislature further defined the council's role and membership. It also included this expiration statement for the council: "The advisory council shall remain in existence until health inequities in the state are eliminated. Health inequities will be considered eliminated when race, ethnicity, income, gender, gender identity, geographic location, or other identity or social marker will no longer be predictors of health outcomes in the state."

The Council will consist of 18 members appointed by the commissioner of health who will provide representation from the following groups:

1. African American and African heritage communities;
2. Asian American and Pacific Islander communities;
3. Latina/o/x communities;
4. American Indian communities and Tribal governments and nations;
5. disability communities;
6. lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities; and
7. representatives who reside outside the seven-county metropolitan area.

2024 membership: 

• Rox Anderson
• Matthew Arries
• Dr. Tracine Asberry
• Atum Azzahir (co-chair)
• Jerome Evans
• Jose Rodolfo Gutierrez-Montes (co-chair)
• Monica Ibarra
• Ivette Izea-Martinez
• Luqman Lawal
• Katherine Manlapas
• Becky Timm
• Dr. Grace Totoe
• Deqa Sayid
• Hadijah Steen Mills
• Dr. Antony Stately
• Diane Tran
• Nina Vongpheth
• Kathy Zeman