April is National Minority Health Month. This year’s theme is Partnering for Health Equity. The Office of Minority Health will focus on the importance of partnerships at the national, state, tribal and local levels to reduce health disparities and advance health equity. Click here to stay on top of the latest National Minority Health Month news and events.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know that colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, and that it is the second leading cause of death from cancer? The best way to prevent colorectal cancer is to get screened regularly starting at age 50. There are often no signs or symptoms of colorectal cancer – that’s why it’s so important to get screened. There are 3 main types of colorectal cancer screening tests: colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and stool tests. Check out this new tool from healthfinder.gov to find out which test you might prefer.

March is National Kidney Month. Join the Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to raise awareness about kidney disease and women’s kidney health. Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death for women in the United States. This year’s theme—Preventing Kidney Disease: Healthy Women, Healthy Families—provides an opportunity to talk about women’s kidney health and the role women can play in modeling healthy habits for their loved ones.

Health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure increase risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD) a condition affecting over 16 million women in the United States. Women may be more likely than men to get CKD, which can lead to kidney failure and often has no symptoms in its early stages. Visit the National Kidney Month page for more information about kidney disease and adopting healthy lifestyles.

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2015, nearly 2.4 million American had an opioid use disorder and close to 80 percent of these individuals did not receive treatment. SAMHSA has developed MATx, a mobile app for health care practitioners to provide effective, evidence-based care for opioid use disorders. Watch this video to learn more about this mobile tool for providers.

The Office of Minority Health Resource Center Knowledge Center has developed an extensive collection of documents specifically related to minority populations and behavioral health. Click here to gain access to the Knowledge Center’s Online Catalog.