Call for Abstracts: Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health

Posted by on November 10, 2008

Third national Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health

February 25-27, 2009
National Harbor, MD

http://www.omhrc.gov/npasummit2009

Call for Abstracts: Deadline: November 18, 2008

http://www.omhrc.gov/npasummit2009/templates/browse.aspx

Conversations • Collaboration • Commitment to action

In 2006, the Office of Minority Health (OMH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, held a National Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health. It brought together nearly 2,000 leaders from the public and private sectors and marked 20 years since the establishment of OMH. The Summit served as a significant turning point in national discussions on improving health and health care outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities in the United States.

The National Partnership for Action to Eliminate Health Disparities (NPA) was launched by OMH in response to the energy and clarity of purpose among Summit leaders and participants. It focuses on five common themes: awareness of health disparities; leadership for addressing health disparities; patient-provider communication and interaction; cultural and linguistic competency; and coordination and utilization of research and data.

Adapting these same themes, the NPA held Regional Conversations throughout the nation, where the collective voices of community leaders were heard, strategies were shared and actions were determined for implementation in their respective states and regions. Out of these conversations came the development, dissemination, and implementation of strategic objectives and tactical recommendations through two publications: a series of Regional Blueprints, which focus on needs and opportunities for collaboration in various sections of the country, and a National Strategy.

The 2009 Summit is a continuation of our efforts to develop a national strategy and to move toward common language, from health disparities to health equity. Results of the Summit will become part of the National Blueprint for Action, which will guide OMH and its public and private partners. Together, experts, practitioners, leaders, stakeholders, and partners from both private and public sectors will begin to construct strategies and actions, shape policies, and foster the next generation of leaders to continue our mission.

As part of OMH’s broader initiative to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities, this 2009 Summit’s objectives and tracks are:

Track 1: Increase Awareness of Health Disparities

Track 2: Strengthen Leadership at All Levels

Track 3: Enhance Patient-Provider Communication

Track 4: Improve Cultural and Linguistic Competency in Delivering Health Services

Track 5: Coordinate and Utilize Research and Outcome Evaluations More Effectively

To reach these objectives, the Summit will: (1) build a renewed sense of leadership and partnerships across communities, (2) share success stories and methods, (3) demonstrate how model programs can be replicated or tailored for greater impact, and (4) create methods, tactics, and ideas that support more effective and efficient action.

We hope you will join us as we take action to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health!