April is Minority Health Month

To raise awareness of the importance of improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations and reducing health disparities, the month of April is Minority Health Month. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra released a statement on April 5, 2023 in honor of Minority Health Month.

Several Federal organizations have posted information and resources to help people get involved, including the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH), the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIHMD), and the FDA Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE).

In 2022, the AHRQ Academy released a Topic Brief on Health Equity, representing a brief overview of the role of behavioral health integration in reducing disparities in health and healthcare. In addition, the  HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) recently released several new tools related to advancing equity. These materials, originally created for HHS staff, have now been adapted for public and private partners to increase collaboration and share promising practices:

• Equity Assessment Tip Sheet
• In-Depth Equity Assessment Guide
• Guide on Advancing Equity through Quantitative Analysis
• Guide on Advancing Equity by Incorporating Intersectionality in Research and Analysis
• Tips on Equitable Communication
• Tips on Engaging Diverse Groups of External Partners