purple outline of New Mexico state shape, NM Health text in the middle of the state outline. Purple and orange.

Why This Partnership Strengthens Community Health

By working together, the Health Equity Council and the NMDOH Bernalillo Health Promotion Team combine:

  • HEC’s community-convening role, local knowledge, and equity-centered approach
    with

  • NMDOH’s statewide public health infrastructure, data, and evidence-based strategies

Hands in for Health Graphic

This partnership helps Bernalillo County communities:

  • Identify and understand local health needs

  • Build leadership and capacity

  • Implement meaningful, community-led solutions

  • Connect with statewide supports and resources

  • Advance health equity across systems

Health Puzzle Graphic

NMDOH Health Promotion Program Partnership

The Health Equity Council partners closely with the New Mexico Department of Health Public Health Division Health Promotion Program to support community-driven health improvement efforts across Bernalillo County. This partnership strengthens local health planning, increases access to public health expertise, and ensures that community priorities remain at the center of health assessment, strategy development, and systems-change work.

How We Work Together

The Health Promotion Program Team based in Bernalillo County is an active partner in HEC’s weekly operations. Health Promotion staff regularly participate in HEC team meetings to share updates, coordinate initiatives, and collaborate on shared priorities. Through this relationship, the Health Promotion team provides:

  • Public health and epidemiological insights

  • Updates on state and county initiatives

  • Technical assistance on assessment, planning, and community engagement

  • Strong connections to NM DOH Public Health Offices, community schools, coalitions, and mobile health programs

  • Provide community resources, events, workshops, and training opportunities

Together, HEC and the NMDOH Health Promotion team work to align efforts, support community voices, and promote equitable, long-lasting improvements in population health.

Health Councils & NMDOH: A Statewide Partnership

New Mexico’s County and Tribal Health Councils operate in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Health under the County and Tribal Health Councils Act (2019). The Act directs NMDOH to:

  • Support and strengthen the long-term viability of health councils

  • Provide training, technical assistance, and evaluation support

  • Administer and monitor funding that supports local health council work

  • Collaborate with health councils to advance community-based health planning

This statewide structure is the foundation of HEC’s relationship with the Bernalillo Health Promotion team.

About the NMDOH Health Promotion Program

 

Health Promotion is a key component of New Mexico’s public health system. Grounded in epidemiology—the science guiding public health decisions—Health Promotion focuses on strengthening community leadership, increasing capacity, and supporting strategies that influence health at a population level.

Across New Mexico, Health Promotion teams:

  • Inform, educate, and empower communities about health issues

  • Mobilize partnerships to address local health priorities

  • Support policy, systems, and environmental change

  • Assist communities with assessment, planning, and evaluation

  • Facilitate effective meetings, training, collaboration, and conflict resolution

  • Strengthen coalitions and connect communities to data, resources, and evidence-based interventions

  • Coordinate efforts between local, state, tribal, and federal partners

  • Link communities to funding, programs, and public health initiatives