HHS Awards More Than $5 Million to the University of Mississippi for Help in Eliminating Health Disparities in the Mississippi Delta Region

HHS Awards More Than $5 Million to the University of Mississippi for Help in Eliminating Health Disparities in the Mississippi Delta Region

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health (OMH) is awarding up to $5.2 million to the University of Mississippi to support efforts to eliminate health disparities in racial and ethnic minority communities in the Mississippi Delta Region (DRI). The Delta Region comprises Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.

This cooperative agreement will establish the framework for multiple projects for up to three years that can be implemented by various partnering organizations. The actual award amounts are subject to the availability of funding as well as the progress achieved by the grantee.

"This grant will support a multi-state collaborative effort involving academic health centers, institutions of higher education, state and local health agencies, faith and community-based organizations, and other stakeholders," said Dr. Garth Graham, deputy assistant secretary for minority health. "We expect that this grant will help initiate projects that increase access to quality healthcare, the numbers of healthcare personnel available to provide services, research on geographic health disparities, and health outcomes for rural and minority populations."

Through the utilization of a prevention research center model, this grant aims to address the health promotion and disease prevention needs of rural disadvantaged and minority populations by conducting and implementing participatory, science-based, health promotion and disease prevention research and interventions.

Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama are disproportionately impacted by health issues including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, infant mortality, and HIV/AIDS, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The grants also support the National Partnership for Action, which was organized by OMH to engage federal agencies, private organizations and community leaders to create a Nation free of health disparities with quality health outcomes for all. The theme of the NPA is "Together we can. Together we will." To find out more about this grant or other OMH grants, please go to the Office of Minority Health web page at: minorityhealth.hhs.gov or call the OMH Resource Center at 1-800-444-6472.