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Highlights in Minority Health
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SEPTEMBER 15 - OCTOBER 15,
2004 IS NATIONAL HISPANIC/LATINO HERITAGE MONTH |
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This year, CDC's Association of Latino Employees at CDC &
ATSDR (ALECA)
celebrates Hispanic/Latino heritage month with Hispanic Americans:
Making a Difference in Our Communities and
our Nation |
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CDC/ATSDR celebrated Hispanic/Latino Heritage month with “Social
Justice, Health Inequities, and Limited English Proficient (LEP)
Populations.” The program took place on Monday, September 20, 2004
from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
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The program began with Mr. Tobias Marshall, from the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) Atlanta Office of Civil Rights.
Mr. Tobias is the Lead Investigator for LEP programs in Region IV
and has established networks with advocate groups and state agencies
to work toward implementation of policies that address the needs of
LEP populations. He spoke about how communities can determine their
need for translation services, different options for meeting the
needs of LEP populations, and how he helps providers come into
compliance with current federal guidelines. |
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Next, Dr. Yolanda Partida, Director of Hablamos Juntos – “We Speak
Together,” presented “Health Disparities/Inequities and LEP: Unequal
Services/Treatment.” Dr. Partida has worked on a variety of
projects related to health access for the uninsured and underserved
populations. She spoke about some of the obstacles to providing
adequate translation services to LEP patients. These include
inadequate understanding of the need for translation, lack of
national standards to guide translator skill development, and the
need to assure the quality of translated documents. |
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Alex Alvarez, of “CDC en Espanol,” closed the program by unveiling
the new look of CDC’s Spanish website. He showcased several new
languages not previously available on CDC’s web site, and
demonstrated a new feature that allows providers to share
linguistically appropriate materials with patients, even if the
provider does not speak that language. Mr. Alvarez also spoke about
the need for expanded resources to help LEP populations take control
of their health care. |
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