News Release

HHS Awards Grants to Support Minority Health

Grants Support Better Access to Medical and Mental Health Care

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced the award of more than $12 million to support minority individuals, families, and children affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. The grants will support greater access to health and behavioral health care services, assistance through faith-based and community organizations, and enhanced communications through minority media outlets.

�During times of crisis, for many Americans, faith-based and community organizations have been among those compassionate helping hands reaching out to those who need it most,� Secretary Leavitt said. �These awards will ensure that Hurricane Katrina evacuees, minorities in particular, have knowledge of and access to the health care and counseling they may need.�

Through these grants, an aggressive outreach effort will be initiated through faith-based and community organizations, other organizations known to racial and ethnic minorities, and minority media outlets to further facilitate engagement of displaced families and individuals in health and behavioral health care services.

�Minority communities are among those most highly impacted by the terrible destruction of Hurricane Katrina,� said Dr. Garth Graham, HHS deputy assistant secretary for minority health. �With the announcement of these awards, we are partnering with key institutions in the African American, Hispanic, and Asian communities to bring desperately needed health care services, information, and hope to the rebuilding effort.�

The National Institute of Health�s (NIH) National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) will play a large role in the relief efforts. The NCMHD promotes minority health, leads, coordinates, supports, and assesses the NIH effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities.

�Community involvement and partnerships are vital components in confronting any crisis,� said Dr. John Ruffin, NCMHD director. �The NCMHD Health Disparities Centers of Excellence has a strong cadre of institutions including Historically Black Colleges and Universities with a solid community outreach base. Together, they bring the vast expertise needed -- great science, cultural sensitivity, community trust and credibility to the arduous task of relief and reconstruction in health disparity communities devastated by Katrina.�

Specifically, the grants will include:

• $5,000,000 to the HHS/NIH/NCMHD health disparities centers of excellence in the Gulf Coast and surrounding states to support innovative approaches to relief activities, including culturally relevant mental health services, bringing electronic health records to mobile units and other such activities;
• $4,782,746 to State Offices of Minority Health to support efforts to improve the health and well-being of racial/ethnic minorities in particular those affected by Hurricane Katrina;
• $599,940 in supplemental funding for six State Offices of Minority Health greatly impacted by Katrina (AL, AR, LA, MS, TN and TX);
• $300,000 to support a Katrina Relief Network formed by the National Black Nurses Association, National Association of Black Social Workers and the Association of Black Psychiatrists;
• $210,000 to the Interdenominational Theological Center to support their �Caring for the City� Emotional Support Center Program, providing counseling services through churches;
• $225,000 to the National Urban League to assist local affiliates with supporting ongoing relief efforts;
• $200,000 to National Council of La Raza to reduce cultural and linguistic barriers among Hispanic evacuees;
• $196,000 to the National Medical Association to support the relief activities of physicians affected by Hurricane Katrina;
• $150,000 to the Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum to reduce cultural and linguistic barriers among Vietnamese evacuees; and
• $500,000 to support our Closing the Gap on Infant Mortality partnership with the March of Dimes to provide services to pregnant women and families with infants residing in the Baton Rouge area.