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April 2009
In this Issue:
Activities in the Field
Policy Updates
April is National Minority Health Month! Organizations across the country are sponsoring programs to raise awareness of racial and ethnic health disparities in their communities. See Upcoming Events below for a list of organizations taking part and activities taking place.
NEW MEDIA:
- The Kaiser Family Foundation hosted The Effect of the Economic Downturn on the Health of Communities of Color. During this live, interactive webcast, panelists examined how the recession is affecting communities of color in the areas of health coverage, access to care, and health outcomes. The panelists also discussed whether the economic recovery legislation would help states respond to the rising demand for programs such as Medicaid. A webcast of this briefing is available here.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services hosted a briefing called HHS Recovery Act Activities, which highlighted how the HHS budget of $631 billion is allocated in the economic recovery package. Funding allocated to the HHS budget will be used to strengthen the Medicare program, accelerate the adoption of health information technology, invest in increasing the number of doctors to practice in medically underserved areas, and strengthen the Indian health system. To view a webcast of this briefing, click here.
- The National Health Equity Coalition recently hosted a national conference call dialogue called The Economic Stimulus: Opportunities and Challenges for Underserved Communities. Panelists discussed how the economic recovery package has the potential to address the economic and social challenges facing underserved communities, particularly racial and ethnic minorities. To view this webinar, click here.
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS:
National Committee for Quality Assurance: Recognizing Innovation in Multicultural Health Care Award Program
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is now accepting applications for its 2009 Recognizing Innovation in Multicultural Health Care Award program. This program highlights and recognizes health plans for their exemplary efforts and demonstrated effectiveness in promoting cultural competence and addressing the health care needs of diverse members.
Applications are now available online and must be submitted by June 1, 2009. To view past award-winning initiatives, you can download a copy of the Innovative Practices Reports from 2006, 2007, and 2008 here.
Please email CLASAwards@ncqa.org with any questions.
PUBLICATIONS:
- The Harvard School of Public Health published Engagement of Health Plans and Employers in Addressing Racial, Ethnic Health Care Disparities. The study examines the awareness of racial and ethnic disparities in health care access and quality, perceptions of the roles of employers and health plans in addressing disparities, and reported efforts to measure and reduce disparities. An abstract of this article can be found here.
- The American Psychological Association published Communiqué: Psychological and Behavioral Perspectives on Health Disparities. This guide seeks to inform policy makers, advocates, the general public, and behavioral scientists about the disproportionate impact of health disparities on communities of color. It suggests that efforts to reduce health disparities must include collaboration between medical and public health scientists with behavioral and psychological scientists. To view this guide, click here.
- The Alliance for Health Reform published the fifth edition of its sourcebook for journalists called Covering Health Issues. Chapter 10 is specifically devoted to issues of disparities—the causes of disparities, likely policy debates concerning issues of disparities, and tips for reporters. To download this sourcebook, click here.
- The Kaiser Family Foundation recently updated Key Health and Health Care Indicators by Race/Ethnicity and State. This fact sheet shows variations across all 50 states and racial and ethnic groups for six key health and health care indicators, including rates of infant mortality, diabetes-related mortality, the AIDS case rate, and the percentage of people in each state who are uninsured, enrolled in Medicaid, and living in poverty. To view this factsheet, click here.
- The National Immigration Law Center recently published a fact sheet, New State Option to Provide Health Coverage to Immigrant Children and Pregnant Women. This fact sheet examines how the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) gives states the opportunity to provide affordable health coverage to legal immigrant children and pregnant women. To view this fact sheet, click here.
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The Community Voice: Taking It to the People (Lynchburg, Virginia)
The Community Voice: Taking it to the People program is a grassroots consumer project whose goal is to raise community awareness of high African American infant mortality rates. Community Voice addresses racial disparities in infant mortality rates by teaching people in the community ways to reduce infant mortality. When the program began in 1999, African American infant mortality rates in Lynchburg were 29.4 per 1,000 live births: After three years of operation, the city saw a dramatic decrease in the rates to 5.5 per 1,000 live births by 2003.
The program reaches out to African Americans through a series of two-hour classes using the “Taking it to the People” curriculum. The curriculum is culturally sensitive and addresses key factors contributing to the African American infant death. It focuses strongly on decreasing the risks of preterm labor, since premature birth is the primary contributor to African American infant death. In addition to providing information on premature births and low birthweight, the curriculum addresses basic perinatal health information and the benefits of folic acid, the importance of early and regular prenatal care, AIDS, the value of proper nutrition, immunizations, and infant safety. The curriculum also examines the effects of smoking, alcohol/drug use, stress, racism, domestic violence, and fatherhood involvement on infant mortality rates. The curriculum is designed to be mobile and taught to groups of 10 people in neighborhood settings such as recreation centers and neighborhood churches.
Examinations are given to participants before and after they take the class to assess their comprehension. During the class, participants engage in role-playing activities to evaluate their capacity to effectively convey information. Upon successful completion of the five session curriculum, participants become “Lay Health Advisors.”
Once trained, Community Voice Lay Health Advisors make a six-month commitment to share what they have learned and recruit others to take the course, thus “Taking it to the People.”
Please contact Anne Scott, the Community Voice Program Co-Developer and Program Coordinator, for additional questions at (434) 200-3914 or at ann.scott@centrahealth.com.
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Children’s Health Insurance Program
Under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), an additional 4 million children will be covered by 2013. CHIPRA went into effect as of April 1, 2009, and includes several provisions which help racial and ethnic minorities, such as federal funding that will give states the option to cover newly-arrived legal immigrant children and pregnant women, access to dental care and mental health care services, increased federal funding for translation or interpretation services, and $100 million in grants for Medicaid and CHIP outreach and enrollment.
President’s Budget Resolution Passes
Both the House and Senate approved President Obama’s budget resolution, moving us closer to the possibility of attaining comprehensive health reform this year. The budget includes a health care “reserve fund” of $630 billion over 10 years that will aim to ensure a health reform bill can meet the budgetary rules when it is considered by the Senate this year.
- Third Annual Health Disparities Conference
April 20 - 21, 2009
Sheraton New Orleans, 500 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Sponsor: Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy
For more information and to register, click here.
- Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Keeping Current Seminar Series
April 22, 2009, 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Sweet Conference Room, Massachusetts General Hospital, 715 Albany Street, 14th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02451
Sponsor: Massachusetts Medical Society
For more information and to register, click here.
- National Minority Quality Forum Sixth Annual Health Disparities Leadership Summit and Awards Dinner
April 27 - 28, 2009
Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20037
Sponsors: National Minority Quality Forum and the Congressional Black Caucus
For more information and to register, click here.
- Second Annual Community Voices Freedom’s Voice Conference
April 30 - May 1, 2009
The Renaissance Waverly Hotel, 2450 Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30339
Sponsors: Morehouse School of Medicine
For more information and to register, click here.
- SOPHE 2009 Midyear Scientific Conference: All that Jazz: Harmonizing Health Education Practice and Research to Advance Health Equity
May 6 - 9, 2009
Sheraton Hotel, 500 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Sponsors: Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
For more information and to register, click here.
- Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum
June 1 - June 3, 2009
Marriot Crystal Gateway, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22202
Sponsors: Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum
For more information and to register, click here.
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We’d like to hear from you!
If you would like to see your organization or event highlighted in a future edition of our newsletter, please send us a brief description of your organization and its activities, as well as your contact information. We also welcome guest authors for the Activities in the Field section of the newsletter. This section provides members of the minority health field with the opportunity to share their experiences and insights with other advocates. Please send all correspondence to: minorityhealth@familiesusa.org.
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