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OAKLAND, CA. Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center in collaboration with the Congressional Tri-Caucus, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, and members of the Summit Host Committee convened the 2011 Health Equity Summit on Saturday, September 17th. The summit brought together a distinguished group of national, local, and community opinion leaders to discuss policy reforms and initiatives that move our country toward racial equity in health care. The Congressional Tri-Caucus is comprised of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "This is an important moment in the fight to achieve health equity and justice for communities of color in the U.S.," said Lance Toma, executive director of A&PI Wellness Center. "Asians, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans across the nation are being left out of local implementation plans for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. As state and local governments begin to roll out changes to the health care system in compliance with the Affordable Care Act, we must ensure the needs of our communities are addressed across every aspect of health." The Summit featured Representatives Barbara Lee, Judy Chu, Mike Honda, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Donna Christensen, Donna Edwards and Dr. Garth Graham, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Summit participants engaged in a substantive dialogue with key leaders on how to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities that exist in our health and health care system. "Consider the cultural barriers from the lack of available multi-lingual healthcare services or the difficult-to-understand health diagnoses—cumbersome for even native English speakers to understand. Consider the fact that Hepatitis does not equally target its victims but rather finds Asian-Americans and African-Americans lethally vulnerable. This is just a sample of the inequities that pervade the system; left neglected, the adverse impacts to the community will be equally pervasive," said Rep. Mike Honda, Chair Emeritus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. The conference heard speeches from keynote speaker, Dr. Garth Graham from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Members of Congress, and advocacy experts. In addition to the Summit, the Tri-Caucus unveiled the recently introduced Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2011, which builds on the tools in Affordable Care Act to address these health inequities and works to eliminate them. "The Health Equity and Accountability Act is the next step forward in our efforts to eliminate the unique health disparities facing minority communities," said Rep. Judy Chu, Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "Today's Summit brought together our nation's brightest minds and hardest workers in the health care field, and I'm honored to have been a part of this important event." About Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center # # # |