Setting the Stage for an Illinois Health Equity Zone (HEZ) Initiative: A Final Report

The purpose of this report is to describe the Health Equity Zones (HEZ) model, how other initiatives have implemented this model in the past, the barriers to implementation, and the ways the initiatives vary based on population, location, and geographic scale in the United States. Our ultimate goal is to determine the readiness, acceptability, and feasibility of implementing a statewide HEZ initiative in Illinois and understand the specific considerations that need to be incorporated into the design of a program for Illinois.