Description of organization:
The New Mexico Department of Health provides a broad spectrum of health care services to residents throughout the state. In addition to preventive public health services like immunizations and diabetes management programs, the Department regulates and certifies nursing homes and monitors and prevents the spread of infectious diseases. The Department also provides community-based services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and operates medical and behavioral health care facilities. The Division of Policy and Performance administers the State Partnership Grant and seeks to improve the health of the state’s diverse populations and to reduce or eliminate health disparities. In addition, the Division assists the Department with developing health policies and programs that improve access to health care.

Description of project:
Reducing health disparities in the state requires enhanced efforts geared towards raising awareness, mobilizing communities, increasing capacity of the health care providers, preventing disease, promoting health, focusing resources on targeted populations and delivering culturally competent health care. The project also partners with community-based health care providers to increase access to preventive health care at the local level in communities. Major project activities are training health care providers on the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Service Standards (CLAS), ongoing medical and behavioral interpreter training in Spanish and Navajo for health care staff, yearly production of a Health Disparity Report Card, and translation of Department documents from English to Spanish to increase access to health care for Limited English Proficient clients.