Community expertise is critical to building effective, responsive public health initiatives. However, equitable compensation for community members—ensuring fair and meaningful compensation for their expertise, time, and lived experience—remains a challenge for many health departments. This 90-minute roundtable discussion will dive into why equitable community compensation matters, the principles behind it, and how local health departments are working to advance these practices. The session will feature insights from representatives of the Pima County Health Department (AZ), Lake County Health Department (IL), and the Vermont Department of Health, who will share their experiences in implementing equitable community compensation practices. These practitioners will discuss the impact of compensation on engagement as well as the challenges they’ve faced along the way. This session is designed for public health professionals from local health departments, community engagement leaders, and stakeholders interested in fostering authentic partnerships that honor and respect community contributions.

This event is hosted by the Region 1 PHIG Hub, Health Resources in Action (HRiA) in partnership with National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).