Education

2016 LHEC Opening Keynote

STEVEN LOPEZ, MPP, MPH

Manager, Health Policy Project at National Council of La Raza (NCLR)

Steven T. Lopez is the manager of the Health Policy Project at the National Council of La Raza. As manager, Mr. Lopez leads the development and advancement of public policies aimed at increasing the opportunity and ability of Latinos to achieve optimal health no matter who they are, where they live, or how much they earn.

His work has focused on increasing health coverage opportunities for the millions of Latinos who could gain health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as advancing options for the remaining uninsured.

The intersection of nutrition, hunger, and childhood obesity is another priority area for Lopez, given that Hispanic children are more likely than their peers to be overweight or obese. His current attention focuses most specifically on these two priorities.

Lopez holds master’s degrees in public policy and public health from the University of California at Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

As our Opening Keynote speaker, Steven Lopez will engage the conference attendees in a discussion of national immigration policies and the connection to Latino health disparities.

 

Immigration and Latino Health: 

The Journey Ahead

The 2016 LHEC will examine the unique health issues faced by Latino immigrant communities in the United States.  While conflict and poverty in the immigrants’ countries of origin are major reasons for crossing the border in the U.S., it is less clear what impact this trauma has on the health of immigrant communities.  Crossing without documents can produce long term health effects; even if documented, immigrants still face major political, cultural, and economic barriers that impact health.  We will explore these experiences in relation to age, gender, economics, language, and sociocultural traditions, focusing on how these factors affect health and healthcare delivery in the U.S.

Early Bird Registration will close April 15th! 

Please register early as space is limited.

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Cambia Health Foundation Grant Expands Culturally Appropriate Palliative Care Training Across Pacific Northwest

Logo_Cambia Health Foundation

Logo_Familias en Acción

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        

    Contacts:                                            Gail Brownmiller
g.brownmiller@familiasenaccion.org
503-702-4302

Lisa Honebrink
Lisa.Honebrink@cambiahealth.com
503-721-4094

 

Reducing Health Disparities and Improving Quality of Care for Latinos: Cambia Health Foundation Grant Expands Culturally Appropriate Palliative Care Training Across Pacific Northwest 

– Investment Allows Familias en Acción to provide training to 2,400 health professionals in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah –

PORTLAND, Ore. (Feb. 9, 2016) – A recent Cambia Health Foundation investment of $318,900 will expand an Oregon-based training curriculum in culturally appropriate palliative care of Latinos to Washington, Idaho and Utah. The Foundation grant will allow Familias en Acción to provide advanced palliative care training to 2,400 health professionals and patient navigators in all four states.

An important element of reducing health disparities in communities of color, cultural competence – or culturally appropriate care – is the ability of providers and organizations to effectively deliver health care services that meet the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of patients.

Health care participants in the Familias en Acción 2014 Palliative Care of Latinos Summit overwhelmingly expressed the need for training in providing palliative care for the entire age range of their Latino patients. The expanded curriculum, developed in partnership with the University of Portland, will increase healthcare providers’ understanding of how palliative care for Latinos is different than for non-Hispanic patients. Participants will understand how they, individually and systemically, can empower patients to become active in their care.

According to the National Hispanic Council on Aging, Hispanic older adults disproportionately suffer from afflictions such as diabetes and HIV; and it’s estimated that more than 80% have at least one chronic condition, with diabetes mortality rates twice those of the general population. Latino children and young adults are experiencing increasing rates of severe and life threatening diseases, such as cancer and chronic kidney disease, with poorer health outcomes and higher mortality rates than non-Hispanics.

“Culturally appropriate palliative care can help improve health outcomes and quality of care,” said Elyse Salend, Cambia Health Foundation program officer. “This investment fits Cambia Health Foundation’s goals of advancing quality, access and understand of palliative care, and transforming health care to be more person-focused, affordable and equitable.”

“This curriculum is an engaging, multi-modal training addressing culturally specific palliative care of Latinos by providing relevant training on cross-cultural issues to health professionals that reduce cultural and linguistic barriers to quality patient care,” said Gail Brownmiller, executive director of Familias en Acción.

Development and roll-out of the expanded curriculum is a highly collaborative effort planned in three phases:

1)  Using recommendations from a national advisory council of experts in palliative care and in Latino health, data from focus groups, individual interviews and a literature review, Familias en Acción staff will develop the online instructional program and videos in partnership with University of Portland Academic Technology Services.

2)  Health professionals throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah will receive palliative care training in partnerships with health systems including:

  • Providence Health Services in Oregon and Washington
  • Alphonsus Health System and St. Luke’s Health system in Idaho

3)  The California State University Institute for Palliative Care will incorporate the advanced curriculum into their catalog of palliative care courses, with both the in-person and online trainings offering CEUs.

 

About Familias en Acción

The mission of Familias en Acción is to promote holistic family well-being for Latinos through community engagement, education, research and advocacy for social change. The organization’s priorities include chronic disease patient navigation and education, Spanish language support groups, community leadership development, and elimination of health disparities. Learn more at https://www.familiasenaccion.org/

 

About Cambia Health Foundation

Cambia Health Foundation is the corporate foundation of Cambia Health Solutions, a total health solutions company dedicated to transforming the way people experience health care. A 501(c)(3) grant-making organization, the Foundation strategically invests and partners with organizations to advance palliative care quality, access and understanding; improve the behavioral health of underserved children; and transform health care to a more person-focused, equitable and economically sustainable system. Learn more at www.cambiahealthfoundation.org or follow us on Twitter.

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