Efforts, Initiatives Seek To Address Health Disparities Among Minorities
The following highlights several efforts, events and grants that seek to address health care disparities in minority communities.
- Fort Wayne, Ind.: A new clinic for Spanish-speaking adults -- Clinica Madre de Dios, or Mother of God Clinic -- is opening at a church in Fort Wayne. Spanish-speaking church members can receive exams and some medicines at no cost through the clinic, which will be open on Tuesday mornings. The clinic has received equipment and medicine donations from local health care providers, as well as $1,000 in startup money from the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend (Schroeder, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 4/9).
- Omaha, Neb.: A forum in Omaha on Monday addressed racial and ethnic health disparities, as well as religious and cultural sensitivity in health care and the need for diversity in the health system. Nebraska Appleseed, the Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, Health Care for America Now and the Center for Human Diversity participated in the event (AP/NTV, 4/5).
- Phoenix: Native Health, a wellness clinic serving urban American Indians, is one of three Arizona health centers to receive funding through the federal stimulus package. The clinic plans to use $1.3 million in funding to open a new facility in Phoenix beginning July 1. The new facility will offer services on a sliding-fee scale and also will treat Medicaid beneficiaries (Reid, Arizona Republic, 4/7).
- Xenia, Ohio: The Greene County Combined Health District is using a $2,500 grant from the Ohio Commission on Minority Health to put on two events related to oral health. Last week, the district sponsored oral health screenings and this week, the district held a public health fair on the importance of oral health (Harris, Greene County Dailies, 4/7).