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Health Disparities Forum

November 17, 2003

The UAB Minority Health and Research Center (MHRC) and the State Minority Health Section of the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health Development in the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) together sponsored the Minority Health Disparities in Alabama Forum at the Alabama State Capitol Building Auditorium (in Montgomery) on November 17, 2003. About 80 community based projects leaders in the State of Alabama attended the forum, which provided an opportunity for community stake holders, medical providers, public officials, academic institutions, and state level entities to dialogue with each other, and identify the possible gaps in formulating a comprehensive approach to eliminating health disparities in Alabama. Based on the evaluations from the event, this goal was accomplished.

Speakers included: Donald Williamson, MD, State Health Officer, ADPH Gwendolyn Lipscomb, RN, MSN, Director of the Minority Health Section, Office of Primary Care and Rural Health, ADPH; Mona Fouad, MD, MPH, Director of the MHRC;; Sundra Escott-Russell, Alabama State Senator; and Quinton Riggins, Director, Alabama Legislative Affairs. In addition to presentations by state leaders, breakout sessions gave the participants the opportunity to discuss plans to disseminate information on minority health related projects and foster collaboration among researchers and community project leaders.

As a follow-up to this meeting, the MHRC has been meeting with the Director of the Alabama State Minority Health Office to establish a statewide task force to develop a State Minority Health Comprehensive Plan to reduce and eliminate health disparities in the state of Alabama.