Sharing Progress and Promoting Future Strategies
HARRISBURG, Pa., May 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs' today opened the PA Latino Health Care Forum, "Sharing Progress and Promoting Future Strategies."
The forum, held at the State Museum, is a follow up to the commission's 2005 Latino Health Summit's call to action to address health disparities in Pennsylvania. That summit was the first part of a larger strategy to develop and implement meaningful policy-driven recommendations to address issues impacting Latino health in Pennsylvania.
"The forum shows our health initiatives are having a measurable, positive impact on the state of Latino health in our communities," said GACLA Executive Director Norman Bristol Colon. "I am confident that through these efforts, our commitment to understand and address the critical health issues of our communities will foster policies and programs that eliminate health disparities and promote healthy behaviors."
Today's forum included overviews of different initiatives from around Pennsylvania that are designed to improve access to culturally competent care, improve the delivery of health care services and enhance health outreach and education services for Latinos.
"We have made progress. However, it is critical that we continue to work diligently and collaboratively to achieve further progress and sustain it for the long term," said Department of Health Deputy Secretary Robert Torres.
The forum was a collaborative effort between the Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. For more information on GACLA, visit www.gacla.state.pa.us. For more information on the Department of Health, visit www.health.state.pa.us.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following panelists and speakers participated in the forum:
CONTACT: Norman Bristol Colon
(717) 783-3877
SOURCE PA Department of Latino Affairs
