Declare Minority Health Month

Senate Resolution No. 1736 BY: Senator PARKER MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 2017, as Minority Health Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official months that are set aside to increase awareness of issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 2017, as Minority Health Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with National Minority Health Month; and WHEREAS, The theme of this year's Sixth National Health Month is "Accelerating Health Equity for the Nation"; and WHEREAS, The New York State Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Prevention (OMH-HDP) was established in 1992 by an amendment to the New York State Public Health Law to focus on the health concerns of minorities in New York State; and WHEREAS, OMH-HDP is dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities; and WHEREAS, When comparing their health indicators against those of the rest of the United States population, poor health outcomes for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are apparent; and WHEREAS, These populations experience higher rates of illness and death from health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, specific cancers, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, asthma, hepatitis B, and overweight and obesity; and WHEREAS, OMH-HDP's primary responsibility is to serve as a statewide resource for effecting the elimination of health disparities across all impacted populations by ensuring that everyone, regardless of ethnic or racial background or the community to which they belong, has access to the resources and services they need to be healthy; and WHEREAS, OMH-HDP's programs address disease prevention, health promotion, risk reduction, healthier lifestyle choices, use of health care services, and barriers to health care; and WHEREAS, OMH-HDP works in partnership with communities and organizations in the public and private sectors; these collaborations support a systems approach for eliminating health disparities, and coordinated responses through focused initiatives; and WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of this health issue, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, State and national levels to improve health and healthcare outcomes for racial and ethnic minority communities; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 2017, as Minority Health Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.