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December 2007
In this Issue:
NEW MEDIA:
- The Kaiser Family Foundation hosted an interactive webcast, “Today’s Topics in Health Disparities,” which focused on current federal legislative efforts to address health disparities between racial and ethnic groups. An archived version is available.
- The Disparity Reducing Advances Project and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus hosted a briefing, “Reducing Health Disparities Faster: Addressing Social Determinants of Health.” The briefing featured a discussion of how addressing the social determinants of health can reverse racial and ethnic health disparities.
- The National HIV Prevention Conference discussed prevention challenges, particularly in communities of color, and emphasized the importance of integrating science-based research into prevention programs. Click here to view the webcast.
- The Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum featured the eight Democratic presidential candidates and focused on issues important to African Americans and Latinos. Health topics that were discussed included HIV/AIDS, a single-payer health coverage system, and the uninsured. Click here to view the webcast.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES:
- Community Catalyst and the Alosa Foundation recently announced a new program, Generics Are Powerful Medicine (GPM). GPM will award grants to nonprofit organizations that use their materials to educate consumers about the safety, value, and effectiveness of generic drugs. The program is now accepting grant applications for the campaign. Applications must be postmarked by January 15, 2008. For more information and to apply, visit the GPM Web site at http://www.genericsarepowerful.org/.
PUBLICATIONS:
Working for Equality and Economic Liberation (WEEL)
In response to welfare reform, a group of low-income women and two caseworkers came together in 1996 to form Working for Equality and Economic Liberation (WEEL). This statewide nonprofit, located in Helena, Montana, strives to ensure that the individuals most affected by poverty are civically engaged and part of the democratic process, from voting to policy creation to implementation. WEEL members believe that economic justice is a human right. Most of their work has centered on grassroots organizing and advocacy work around education, health care, government accountability, and racial justice. “We have the opportunity to both challenge and support the Department of Health, as well as decision makers, to act in the best interest of hard working Montanans,” commented Olivia Riutta, a health care policy organizer and WEEL staff member.
Most of WEEL’s recent health care reform activity in Montana has focused on advocating for federal CHIP reauthorization, as well as expanding and strengthening the state’s CHIP program. WEEL worked with its membership to educate the public and policy makers about health problems that disproportionately affect their communities. This initial contact will lay the foundation for developing effective policies that will decrease disparities in health and health care in Montana
Currently, the organization is in the process of establishing the first WEEL chapter on the reservation of the Blackfeet Nation, the largest Native American tribal community in Montana. “We believe that we need to create space for individuals experiencing health disparities to identify the problems and be part of the solution,” remarked Riutta. WEEL plans to hire an organizer from the Blackfeet Nation, hold focus groups and community meetings, and sponsor candidate forums so that those running for office can hear the voices of their constituents and develop a strong health care platform.
In preparation for the 2009 legislative session, WEEL is working on several ballot initiatives. One proposal is an increase in the gaming tax (taxes collected from video gaming machines) to expand funding for community health centers. WEEL is also expanding and strengthening their Health Care Speaker’s Bureau, a group of members who share their stories with legislators, the press, and the public so that health care policies take into account the experiences and knowledge of the community.
If you have any questions or would like more information about WEEL, visit their Web site at http://www.weelempowers.org/purpose.htm, or contact Olivia Riutta at Oriutta@weelempowers.org.
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Children’s Health Coverage
At the last possible minute, Congress reached a deal on joint Medicare and CHIP legislation. The final legislation provides a small Medicare payment increase for physicians that last through May 2008, and it extends funding for CHIP until March 31, 2009. The President is expected to sign the bill.
The CHIP extension will provide additional funding to states that are facing shortfalls to keep enrollment at current levels and continue the health coverage of 6 million children. However, there is no additional funding for states to expand their programs.
The bill did not contain any policy changes to CHIP, and it did not contain the burdensome Medicaid citizenship documentation requirement. Unfortunately, it did not overturn or alter the August 17 crowd-out directive from CMS, which effectively caps CHIP eligibility at 250 percent of poverty.
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- Kellogg Health Scholars Program 2008-2010 call for applications
Deadline: January 8, 2008, 11:59 p.m. ET
Sponsor: Kellogg Health Scholars Postdoctoral Program
For more information or to submit an online application: http://www.kellogghealthscholars.org
- “Interrogating Diversity: Representation, Power, and Social Justice” call for abstracts
Deadline: January 14, 2008
Sponsor: The College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Student Council and the Department of Anthropology at American University
For more information or to submit an online application: interdivconferenceii@gmail.com
- “QI and the EMR: Identifying and Addressing Disparities in Chronic Disease Management” web seminar, January 22, 2008, 3:00- 4:30 p.m.
Sponsor: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
For more information and to register: http://www.massgeneral.org/disparitiessolutions/web.html
- True Spin Conference, January 31-February 1, 2008, Curtis Hotel, 1405 Curtis Street, Denver, Colorado 80202
Sponsor: Cause Communications
For more information and to register: http://www.truespinconference.com/index.html
Families USA is pleased to announce that for the second year we will offer a minority health track at Health Action 2008, our annual grassroots conference for advocates. The track will feature sessions on ensuring equity in state health reform efforts, strategizing on immigrant health care, developing state minority health coalitions, engaging ethnic media, and addressing health policy issues affecting special populations. The conference will take place January 24-26, 2008, in Washington, DC. For more information, please contact Rea Pañares at 202-628-3030 or via email at minorityhealth@familiesusa.org.
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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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