Health Disparities Advisory Committee

In July 2005, the Department of Health’s, Office of Policy and Multicultural Health (OPMH) received a federal grant from the Department of Health and Human Service’s, Office of Minority Health to address health disparities. As part of this grant, OPMH created the Health Disparities Advisory Committee (HDAC). The committee provides a direct link between the Department of Health and local, tribal and rural communities to provide a better focus on health disparities. The purpose of the HDAC is to provide advice and recommendations to the Director of OPMH regarding critical health disparity issues impacting minority populations. The HDAC seeks feedback and recommendations from local, tribal and rural communities that will be implemented in the NM Health Disparities Plan through:

• Prioritizing and identifying strategies to address health disparities;
• Promoting awareness about health disparities to local, tribal and rural communities;
• Encouraging collaboration between OPMH and local, tribal and rural community health providers;
• Identifying key legislative priorities to reduce health disparities in local, tribal and rural communities.

In addition to providing recommendations to the OPMH, the HDAC provides key feedback in the development of the:

• Health Disparities Report Card
• Health Disparities Health Plan
• New Mexico’s Comprehensive Strategic Heath Plan