|
|
|
|
|
Fredette West, African American Health Alliance, 12050 Century Manor Drive, Dunkirk, MD 20754, 301 855 7008, fdwest@ix.netcom.com
Ending racial and ethnic disparities in health and in the quality of health care will not come about without organized and focused action that puts pressure on decision-makers to confront the problem and devise solutions. One mechanism for advocacy is to form a coalition of organizations committed to racial and ethnic justice in health, and assure that its voice is heard as key decisions are made by Congress and the federal government in Washington. The Racial and Ethnic Disparities Health Coalition is a Washington-based coalition that is composed of more than a dozen organizations, including the National Medical Association, the National Hispanic Medical Association, and the National Black Nurses Association, that are committed to ending racial and ethnic disparities in health and in the quality of health care and are willing to advocate for policy changes needed to achieve that goal. The Coalition provides a means by which these health organizations can amplify their voices in federal decision-making. The Coalition tracks spending of federal agencies on programs designed to end racial and ethnic disparities in health and makes recommendations to the executive branch and Congress on behalf of these organizations regarding needed levels of spending. It advocates with the Office of Management and Budget on appropriate standards and methods for collecting racial and ethnic data.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to
Keywords: Advocacy, Health Disparities
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.