Minority

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health provided a brief in November 2023 assessing whether and how rates of substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) among adults (ages 18 and older) differ by race and ethnicity. 

Celebrate and honor the culture, traditions, and achievements of the nation's original inhabitants and of their descendants. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) honor the history, culture, and legacy of Tribal nations and Indigenous communities across the United States. 

Public Health Institute's (PHI) Cherished Futures for Black Moms and Babies Program is such an important program and example. Racism and toxic stress are root causes for racial disparities in birth outcomes. PHI’s Cherished Futures for Black Moms and Babies is centering the lived experiences of Black women and birthing parents to address this ongoing maternal mortality crisis, bringing together decision-makers from local hospitals, public health departments, health plans and Black women community leaders to identify and put into action systems-change solutions at clinical, institutional and community levels.

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing announced a toolkit, Public Safety-led Community-oriented Overdose Prevention Efforts (PS-COPE), which provides framework to use to enhance overdose prevention and response in the Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities. The toolkit provides tips, tools, and resources to help integrate this approach into existing overdose prevention and response efforts.

To more effectively address known barriers to treatment for substance use disorder (SUD), policy researchers looked at feedback from 27 community-based programs serving predominantly people of color across the U.S. Beyond poverty and racism, providers describe challenges retaining staff with appropriate language and cultural skills as well as a complex patchwork of social skills. 

Racial/ethnic minorities have experienced disproportionate opioid-related overdose death rates in recent years. In this context, inequities were examined in community-based naloxone access across racial/ethnic groups in Massachusetts.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a new report to Congress on access to obstetric care in rural communities. GAO found that the number of rural hospitals providing obstetric services declined from 2004 through 2018. By 2018 more than half of rural counties lacked OB services. OB closures were focused in rural counties that were sparsely populated, had a majority of Black residents, and were considered low income. GAO interviewed stakeholders to identify the most important factors affecting availability of OB care and the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase availability of services.

Drug overdose deaths increased 30% in the United States from 2019 to 2020. Known health disparities exist in overdose mortality rates, particularly among certain racial/ethnic minority populations. Implementation of an evidence-based, culturally responsive, multi-sectoral approach is critical to reducing disparities in overdose rates. This includes addressing structural barriers and enhancing efforts such as linkage to care and harm reduction services.

Presenter(s):

• Roslyn Moore, MS, Deputy Director for Programs, Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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