April is National Minority Health Month

By Cleve Messidor
Director of Communications and Media Strategies
National Minority Health Month Foundation

Since its inception in 1999, the National Minority Health Month Foundation has distinguished itself as a leader in making efforts to eliminate health care disparities.

The Foundation was instrumental in launching National Minority Health Month, supported by a resolution from the U.S. Congress and recognized by many states.

Acknowledging the need for evidence-based solutions to health care disparities, the Foundation developed the ZIP Code Analysis Project. ZCAP is the most comprehensive data platform for identifying and isolating chronic illnesses by ZIP code. This data platform is used to guide resources in pilot programs in congressional districts, MSAs, and other geographical areas where chronic illness disease disparities persist.

The Foundation seeks to develop strategic relationships with the health care industry, community and policy experts. On Feb. 24, 2005 the Foundation joined with Texas State Senator Royce West, Dallas City Councilman Ed Oakley, Football Hall-of-Famer Abner Haynes, Sr., former Dallas Cowboy Rayfield Wright, and the American Heart Association to launch the Dallas Healthy Heart campaign, a data-driven initiative to tackle cardiovascular disease disparities in the city.

The Dallas City Council is slated to issue a proclamation to commemorate minority health month at the beginning of April.

The Foundation’s second annual national summit on health disparities, scheduled for April 26-27, 2005, will provide industry leaders, clinicians, policymakers and community experts a forum to gain new insights into identifying, measuring, and treating chronic disease disparities.

For further information, please contact Gary A. Puckrein, Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Minority Health Month Foundation, at (202) 223-7560 or gpuckrein@americanvisions.com. Additional information is also available online at www.nmhmf.org