Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities Coalition
FY 2003 Labor-HHS-Ed Appropriations Priorities

"Where there is discrimination, disparities, we're going to find them and we're going to do anything and everything about them that we possibly can. I will be very aggressive in that arena..." -- Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services, from February 2, 2001 address to DHHS Q&A Session

REHDC Statement of Purpose:

The Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities Coalition (REHDC) is a working group of Washington-based national and local organizations concerned about effectively addressing the health status gap in communities of color. REHDC's goal is to support and promote legislative, policy and budget initiatives that will increase the nation's effectiveness in closing the health status gap. It is against this backdrop that REHDC helped to -- champion the enactment of the Minority Health Disparity Research and Education Act, Public Law 106-525, push for the conduct of the IOM Unequal Treatment Study, and ensure necessary funding for critical quality of life programs. P.L. 106-525 also authorized the creation of the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Organizations that comprise REHDC represents a cross-section of racial and ethnic groups. Focused on a wide variety of health and access to health care issues, REHDC is committed to, and encourages the Department of Health and Human Services to implement as well as support a more comprehensive and integrated approach to eliminating health disparities.

REHDC Organizations

REHDC is chaired by Fredette West of FDWest Network Associates

• National Medical Association
• African American Health Alliance
• Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum
• Summit Health Institute for Research and Education
• National Black Caucus of State Legislatures
• Consortium of Social Science Associations
• National Hispanic Medical Association
• Latino Council on Alcohol & Tobacco
• Out of Many, One
• National Black Nurses Association
• National Hispanic Nurses Association

For more information please contact: fdwest@ix.netcom.com