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Memorandum from HHS Deputy Secretary Kevin Thurm,
(dated June 26, 1997)

TO: Heads of Operating and Staff Divisions

SUBJECT: New Departmental Initiative on Health and Human Service
Needs of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans

In acknowledgment of the health and other disparities in the Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) communities, some of which conditions are unique to Asian or Pacific Islander ethnic sub groups while others reflect the common plight of people of color, I am announcing the development of a Department-wide Asian and Pacific Islander American Action Agenda that will build on-going efforts within HHS.

In recent years, there have been two sentinel HHS supported conferences that resulted in significant recommendations and strategies for improving APIA health services and research. The recommendations and strategies from both the National Summit of Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Organizational Leaders in June 1995 and the Pacific Islander and Asian American Research and Research Training Conference, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health in 1996, provide a firm foundation for the Departmental initiative. However, the APIA Action Agenda will also need to address the social, welfare, education and training, and other human service needs of this population. Therefore, we must consider the Healthy People 2000 process, agency efforts that are already underway to serve these communities, and the experience we have gained in framing an Hispanic Agenda for Action. I have asked the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health (DASMH), and the Office of Minority Health, to coordinate development and implementation of this APIA Action Agenda.

Specifically, I am directing OPDIVs and STAFFDIVs to initiate the following actions.

1. Agencies and offices that sponsored the 1995 APIA Health Leaders Summit should submit their official responses to the summit recommendations by June 30 to the Office of Minority Health.
2. The Office of Research on Minority Health of the National Institutes of Health should submit a status report on recommendations of the 1996 Research and Training Conference to the Office of Minority Health by July 3.
3. A Departmental Working Group on Asian and Pacific Islander Issues (the DWG) will be formed immediately to examine HHS programs and services to this community and to make recommendations for this Action Agenda. For the immediate future, I am asking Dennis Hayashi, Director of the Office for Civil Rights, and Kathy Buto, Associate Administrator for Policy, HCFA, to co-chair this group.
4. Each OPDIV and STAFFDIV should nominate a senior representative to the DWG. Each Representative should have substantial experience in serving APIA populations or in multi cultural affairs and should have expertise in the organizational structures, programs, policies and resources that can be utilized to improve services to APIAs. Please submit your nominations to the DASMH by July 3.

A subcommittee of the DWG will prepare the draft structure of an initiative, with appropriate input from the APIA community, for consideration by the full DWG and presentation to me by September 30. This subcommittee will be assisted by staff of the Office of Minority Health. Also, the work group planning the Healthy People 2000 Progress Review on Asians and Pacific Islanders is available to assist.

September 30 is an ambitious but achievable deadline, although the full performance plan for this initiative, complete with performance objectives and measures, will require efforts extending beyond this date. I believe that this second step, creation of the full performance plan, can be accomplished by January 1998.

I am aware of the challenges in meeting the September 30 timetable. Accordingly, I would like your agency to give special attention to this activity, and to ensure that resources are made available to support your staff in developing a solid structure for this initiative. I know you will provide me and the Office of Minority Health with your usual high level of cooperation and, through our collaborative efforts, we will create the means by which the Department will truly address the health and human service needs of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, and all our people.

/s/
Kevin Thurm