Programs

2006 – 2007
National Alliance for Hispanic Health
Programs

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Su Familia (Your Family): The National Hispanic Family Health Helpline
(1-866- SU FAMILIA or 1-866-783-2645)  
Su Familia offers Hispanic consumers free reliable and confidential health information in Spanish and English and helps navigate callers through the health system.  Staffed by bilingual health information specialists the helpline provides basic information on a wide range of health topics.  Using zip code information to search our up-to-date database of over 20,000 providers, health information specialists are able to refer consumers to health care facilities in their community.  To provide consumers with culturally proficient health information, over 100 Fact Sheets have been developed on a wide array of health topics, including: cancer and cancer treatment; cardiovascular disease; child and adult immunizations; diabetes; HIV/AIDS, and mental health issues.  Over half are available in Spanish and are available on the Alliance web site.  The helpline was instrumental in the quick response of La Promesa Medicare Prescription Drug Program answering over 5,620 calls.  The Helpline has provided over 17,000 consumer referrals in 2006.  In addition, by the end of 2006 the Helpline will upgrade its referral database to allow for online surveys of its 20,000 plus providers.  Future upgrades will include direct online consumer access.  

National Hispanic Prenatal Helpline
(1-800-504-7081)
Hispanic consumers call from anywhere in the nation, and by providing their zip code to our bilingual health information specialists, can receive a referral to a culturally and linguistically proficient prenatal care provider in their community.  A comprehensive bilingual prenatal guide "Atención prenatal temprana y periódica Guía para tener un bebé saludable (Early and Regular Prenatal Care Helping You Have a Health Baby)" is available to both consumers and providers.  In addition numerous fact sheets are available on all aspects of prenatal care.  Over 2000 kits have been distributed in the past year.  Close to 4000 referrals to prenatal clinics that offer free or low cost prenatal care have been provided to Hispanic women in 2006.

CENTER FOR CONSUMERS

Juntos Contra la Diabetes (JCD)/United Against Diabetes (JCDII)
The Juntos Contra la Diabetes/United Against Diabetes (JCD II) project addresses the severe and unequal burden of diabetes in Hispanic communities in the United States through outreach and education activities implemented in collaboration with community and national partners, and as an active member of the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP).  In its first year, the JCD II project reached many milestones including the production and distribution of a special report on diabetes, "El ABC del control del la diabetes," created in partnership with the American College of Family Physicians (ACP) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA); the production and broadcast of a five-minute television segment on diabetes prevention on the nationally syndicated NBC program "Hispanics Today"; and the completion and distribution of the diabetes self-management curriculum, "Living with Diabetes."  In 2006, the JCD II project began implementation of the second year of this five-year program, which is focusing on consumer and provider trainings to create a training network using the new diabetes curriculum; diabetes awareness and education through local and national media campaigns; and, expanded provider outreach activities with professional organizations through the production of a second special report on a diabetes-related complications.  The JCD project is funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Diabetes Education Campaign (NDEP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

National Hispanic Eye Health Education Project (NHEHEP)
Eye health is one of the most neglected aspects of overall diabetes care, especially among Hispanics.  The National Hispanic Eye Health Education Project (NHEHEP) raises awareness among Hispanics about eye health and preventable eye diseases caused by diabetes through partnerships with five community-based organizations around the U.S.  During its first year, the NHEHEP conducted a series of discussion groups––with consumers and health care providers––to determine knowledge about eye health and eye disease, the connection between eye disease and diabetes, the importance of getting regular eye exams, and the availability of culturally proficient eye health professionals.  In addition, the Alliance coordinated an evaluation of existing Spanish language eye health educational materials by a panel of health care providers and Hispanic consumers to determine their effectiveness at the community level.  Based on the results of these activities, in 2006 the Alliance will begin an intensive eye health outreach campaign during Year Two of NHEHEP.  This campaign will feature the production and distribution of a Video News Release on eye health, the creation of a national database of culturally proficient eye health providers, and pilot testing of a new eye health curriculum for community health educators.  The NHEHEP is funded through the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Proyecto Informar™ Capacity Building Initiative
The Alliance's Proyecto Informar™ Capacity Building Initiative (PICBI) promotes health and quality of life by reducing the disproportionate burden of preventable disease, death and injury among Hispanics.  This goal is being achieved by providing training and technical assistance to agencies providing health services in Hispanic communities.  Currently, program staff are in the process of completing a "State of the Regions Report" setting out technical assistance needs and policy recommendations.  The priorities highlighted in this report will also serve as a guide in the development of regional Training Institutes in subsequent years.  The Alliance is also completing a survey for Su Familia: The National Hispanic Family Health Helpline database to update service information with an emphasis on expanding the information on cultural proficiency and language appropriateness of available services.

Tome Control: Hágase la Prueba/Take Control: Know Your Status (KYS)
Since the AIDS epidemic began in 1981, this disease has had a disproportionate effect on racial and ethnic groups in the United States.  In 2004 Hispanics comprised slightly more than 14% of the total US population yet accounted for nearly 19% of the total AIDS cases diagnosed since the beginning of the epidemic.  More than 20% of the 42,514 estimated AIDS cases diagnosed in 2004 were among Hispanics.  This disproportionate affect is also reflected in Hispanic adolescents, which accounted for 21% of the total reported AIDS cases among individuals between the ages of 13 and 19 in 2003 (the most recent year this type of information is available).  Persons who have access to and utilization of HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services have improved health outcomes.  During its first year of operation, the KYS program conducted focus groups in four communities with Hispanic adolescents (ages 16-20) and developed "What Hispanic Youth Know About HIV Testing".  Based on the focus group findings, a bilingual PSA was produced and aired on Radio Bilingüe, reaching an audience of approximately 450,000.  Currently, the KYS project is completing four additional focus groups with Hispanic young adults (ages 20-25), and continues to disseminate HIV testing messages.

CENTER FOR PROVIDERS

La Promesa (The Promise) Delivering the Medicare Message to Hispanics
The program is designed to establish a community-based capacity to support Hispanic sign-up for the new prescription drug benefit.  La Promesa established a counseling network in 22 Hispanic communities, which reached over half a million Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries and their families’ in-person with information on new Medicare benefits.  La Promesa provided 13,756 beneficiaries with one-to-one individualized Medicare benefit sign-up assistance.  The program’s national and local media efforts reached a measured audience of over 35 million people.  Materials developed under the program include "Medicare Offers New Benefits", and  ¿Sabia Que…? Medicare tiene nuevos beneficios de cuidado preventivo (Did you know…? Medicare has New Preventive Benefits)".  La Promesa has made a significant contribution to ongoing quality improvement of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) outreach and services to Hispanic beneficiaries.  The CMS, The Atlantic Philanthropies, PhRMA, and AARP have funded la Promesa.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): What Parents Should Know
The program provides Hispanic parents linguistically appropriate and culturally proficient information on ADHD and resources to effectively navigate the educational and health systems.  In partnership with the Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders (CHADD), the program has published a fact sheet to be distributed through the Alliance's Su Familia: The National Hispanic Family Health Helpline and a comprehensive booklet titled "Educational Rights for Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Primer for Parents".  

Teen Vaccine Education
The project developed key messages to encourage Hispanic adolescents to seek immunization services.  Messages and specific strategies were developed with key input from community based organizations and Hispanic adolescents.  Key components include a bilingual public service announcement (PSA) targeting adolescents being distributed nationally through Spanish radio.  

Proyecto Informar™ GERD Hispanic Outreach Initiative
The GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) project will allow the Alliance to develop a bilingual (Spanish/English) GERD fact sheet and for distribution through the Su Familia: The National Hispanic Family Health Helpline and the Alliance website.  The program seeks to create greater awareness among Hispanics on what GERD is and how it can be treated, and how to manage the disease.

CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND POLICY

Alzheimer’s Disease Demonstration Grants to States (ADDGS) National Resource Center Research and Outreach Initiative
In collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association and the Research Triangle Institute (RTI), the Alliance is conducting a national assessment of state Alzheimer’s grants to identify community models that successfully implement culturally proficient programs for Hispanic/Latino elders with Alzheimer’s.  The goal is to identify approaches and models of service, or components of these models, that could launch new efforts throughout the country to address the needs of Hispanics with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.  A profile report of effective state programs and online community programs resource kit are being developed to support Alzheimer’s services in Hispanic communities.

Are We Ready?
This project was initially a response to the need for bilingual and culturally proficient mental health crisis and counseling services after the September 11th terrorist attacks.  The program’s current focus is on the public health emergency readiness of community-based Hispanic agencies and their integration into federal, state, and local preparedness plans to address public health needs, including mental health services. A first-in-the-field study of the emergency preparedness of Hispanic communities has been conducted and the results will be released to the field, media, and policymakers in a peer-reviewed paper to be published in the winter issue of the International Journal of Community Health Education.

The Health and Environment Action Network (HEAN)
The Health and Environment Action Network (HEAN) is a national and locally driven effort committed to securing the right of all people to clean air and water.  The network has been initiated in four communities to document the nexus of environmental risk and health impacts, mobilize community solutions, and secure national and local action on the environmental risks that compromise the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the health and well-being of communities.

Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Leadership Network
The network includes the Nation’s leading health groups (e.g. American Heart Association, American Nurses Association) in an effort to protect access for limited English proficient persons under the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.  The Alliance is a leader in the LEP debate and has won key victories, including quality improvement and language access for Hispanic communities in implementation of the Medicare Modernization Act.

Proyecto Ciencia™ (Project Science)
Proyecto Ciencia™ was developed to promote innovative research about Hispanics and to communicate new developments to the broader science community.  In a new broader phase, Proyecto Ciencia™ National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Hispanic Outreach Initiative will: (1) improve the reach of NIAID health and science information to Hispanic consumers, including developing new Hispanic community-based and media avenues for dissemination and use of current NIAID consumer materials on asthma and HIV/AIDS, (2) foster interest in science and research careers by highlighting Hispanic role models and providing information to students and parents on available resources, and (3) support dissemination of information on NIAID opportunities to Hispanic scientists and students.  These aims further the "NIAID Strategic Plan for Addressing Health Disparities" and the "NIH Roadmap."  As part of Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations the project will inaugurate a Hispanic Pioneers in Science profile series and offer a resource kit to Hispanic community organizations with NIAID outreach materials.  (Click here to visit the Proyecto Ciencia™ web area.)

Proyecto Informar™ FDA Hispanic Outreach Initiative
Proyecto Informar™ FDA Hispanic Outreach Initiative was established as an effort to improve Hispanic health literacy and enhance access for Hispanic consumers to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) health messages.  Responding to the demonstrated need for culturally proficient and bilingual (Spanish and English) health information in Hispanic communities, the Proyecto Informar™ FDA Hispanic Outreach Initiative is disseminating culturally proficient health information to Hispanic community-based organizations and consumers supporting the goals of Healthy People 2010, Executive Order 13166, the DHHS policy guidance on access by LEP persons (68 CFR 47311), and the FDA Hispanic Agenda for Action.  A recent summer health information campaign was launched to deliver FDA messages on sun protection and drinking an adequate amount of water.

¡Vive tu vida!   Get Up!  Get Moving!™  
This is the Alliance’s new national healthy lifestyle initiative.  The annual family health celebration promotes physical activity, strengthening families, and community opportunities.  Events take place in at least 20 communities across the country throughout the year.  Local activities are consistent with local resources and held in neighborhood schools, downtown areas, parks, malls, stadiums, or even indoor gyms.  Each year the activities will emphasize the importance of being active, supporting families, and building community.

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY

hispanichealth.org
This project unites Hispanic health consumers (including community-based organizations, health professionals, and health consumers).  The project provides the web visitor with up-to-date news and information, statistical data, downloadable materials in both English and Spanish, and a variety of invaluable online resources.  Moreover, hispanichealth.org has grown into a trusted health information portal for the Hispanic community.  The was selected as one of Earthlink top web sites for the overall quality, design, and content.

Patient Safety Institute (PSI)
As a founding Board member, the Alliance works with PSI as part of a national collaborative of leading physician, hospital, and consumer advocates.  PSI is a private sector non-profit initiative to reduce patient adverse events through the creation of a secure, inclusive, and "trusted" communication network that is bringing the promise of electronic medical records into the practice of medicine.