Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Contact: OMHMedia@hhs.gov
HHS Office of Minority Health Releases E-Learning Program for Promotores de Salud
An e-learning program to develop culturally and linguistically competent messengers, advocates and educators to promote health and wellness among their peers and within their communities is now available through promotores.thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov. Launched today by the Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, thePromoting Healthy Choices and Community Changes program is a key component of the HHS Promotores de Salud Initiative, launched in 2011 as part of the HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.
The initiative recognizes the important contributions of community health focusedeffortsto reach low-income, vulnerable members of Latino/Hispanic communities. While promotores de salud have intimate knowledge of their communities’ cultures and needs, the training resource launched today offers more tools, knowledge and skills to strengthen community health and to narrow the health equity gap.
“Given the unique needs of our nation’s diverse communities, culturally and linguistically tailored approaches to community health are an effective and necessary strategy for reducing health disparities, improving health outcomes and advancing health equity,” said J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MCSE, deputy assistant secretary for minority health and director of the HHS Office of Minority Health. “The Promoting Healthy Choices and Community Changesprogram is an example of the innovative approaches that are being implemented through the HHS Office of Minority Health to strengthen efforts of promotores de salud in responding to the health needs of their communities.”
Promoting Healthy Choices and Community Changes aims to build upon the capacity of promotores de salud to improve community health. Available in Spanish and English at no cost, this e-learning program is designed for any promotor de salud, regardless of years of experience or the type of outreach in which they are engaged (e.g., nutrition, cancer or diabetes). It is comprised of four units that provide promotores de salud with the basic knowledge to promote healthy choices at the individual and community levels; to apply principles and strategies to motivate behavioral changes among the community members they serve; and to empower those individuals to create change in their communities. Learners will receive a Certificate of Completion upon completing each unit.
For additional information and to access Promoting Healthy Choices and Community Changes, please visit promotores.thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov.