April 2016

TODAY: Join the National Minority Health Month Twitter Chat at 2 pm ET!
Tweet with us in English or Spanish using #NMHM16Chat.

In this issue:

• HHS and OMH Observance of National Minority Health Month
• Deadlines Approaching for OMH Funding Opportunity Announcements
• May 12: Cultural Competency and Latino Students in Health Professions
• ICYMI: Fundamentals of the National CLAS Standards Webinar
• Latest on the Zika Virus from the CDC
• New Report: Expanding Opportunities for Pacific Islanders
• New Veterans Health Administration Office of Health Equity Website
• NIMHD Web-based Series to Spark Conversations on Health Disparities
• What’s New in the Knowledge Center

HHS and OMH Observance of National Minority Health Month

April kicks off National Minority Health Month and the 30th anniversary of the HHS Office of Minority Health. This year’s theme, “Accelerating Health Equity for the Nation,” promotes the extraordinary efforts underway by HHS and the Obama Administration to reduce disparities, advance equity and strengthen the health and well-being of all Americans.

• Statement from Acting HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Karen DeSalvo
• OMH Director’s Blog: Ushering in a New Era in Health Equity
• OMH Statement Announcing National Minority Health Month 
• National Minority Health Month Video from OMH Director Dr. J. Nadine Gracia

Missed the April 7 HHS Health Equity Forum in observance of National Minority Health Month and the 30th anniversary of the HHS Office of Minority Health? Watch the recording online.

Tools You Can Use (English and Spanish) www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/NMHM16 Twitter and Facebook content for sharing Calendar of events around the country Official graphics for use in digital and print media

Messaging and talking points for media outreach and materials Drop-in newsletter article - Long version article | Short version article Ideas to take action during National Minority Health Month

Deadlines Approaching for OMH Funding Opportunity Announcements

Opportunity Title: National Health Education Lupus Program (NHELP)
Announcement Number: MP-CPI-16-001 
Estimated Funding Level: $2 million total ($1 million total for each priority)
Deadline: April 18, 2016 by 5 pm EDT 

Opportunity Title: Communities Addressing Childhood Trauma (ACT)
Announcement Number: MP-CPI-16-002
Estimated Funding Level: $3 million per budget period
Deadline: April 18, 2016 by 5 pm EDT

Opportunity Title: Re-Entry Community Linkages (RE-LINK) Program
Announcement Number: MP-CPI-16-003
Estimated Funding Level: $2 million per budget period
Deadline: April 21, 2016 by 5 pm EDT 

May 12: Cultural Competency and Latino Students in Health Professions

As the U.S. Hispanic population grows, the number of Hispanic and Latino students entering the health professions is not keeping pace with demographic trends. On May 12, the Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMHRC) and the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX, are hosting a one-day workshop for academic institutions and nonprofits on building strategies for engaging more Hispanic and Latino students in careers in medicine and health professions. Dr. Elena Rios, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association, will serve as guest speaker. 
 

Register for the workshop by May 9 or contact Idalia Sanchez at OMHRC for more information.

ICYMI: Fundamentals of the National CLAS Standards Webinar

The HHS Office of Minority Health recently hosted the first webinar in a series on the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care. The National CLAS Standards, launched in 2000 and updated in 2013, provide a blueprint for individuals and health and health care organizations to best serve our nation’s increasingly diverse communities through culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Watch the recorded webinar on YouTube.

Latest on the Zika Virus from the CDC

As the Zika virus makes headlines around the world, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to provide up-to-date news and information about the disease on www.cdc.gov/zika. The site provides a comprehensive resource for providers, consumers and media, with information about symptoms, transmission, prevention, travel alerts, surveillance and control, and more.  Zika Virus and Birth Defects - Reviewing the Evidence for Causality in the New England Journal of Medicine

New Report: Expanding Opportunities for Pacific Islanders

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders released the Pacific Islander Task Force Accomplishments Report, which details progress that the federal government has made to improve the health and well-being of Pacific Islanders. Download the White House Pacific Island Task Force Report. 

New Veterans Health Administration Office of Health Equity Website

Learn more about health equity and the Veterans Health Administration’s work to ensure high quality and equitable care for all veterans. The new VHA OHE website includes information about events and training, public data sets, a hospital and treatment locator, and more. Visit the website and sign up to get the latest news and updates from the VHA.

NIMHD Web-based Series to Spark Conversations on Health Disparities

Dr. Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), gives an overview of the institute’s research priorities and vision for the future in a new on-demand video series produced by NIMHD. Conversations Leading to Insights on Policy and Science, or CLIPS, serves to educate and disseminate information to the National Institutes of Health community and external stakeholders about the intersection of administration initiatives, legislative proposals, policy and science. Watch the video and learn more about the CLIPS series.

What’s New in the Knowledge Center

Libraries Transform! April 10-16 is National Library Week. Learn more about the role of libraries in supporting public health education. WebJunction, an online training and knowledge sharing portal for librarians around the world, recently profiled the Knowledge Center and its wealth of free resources on minority health and health disparities.