Capitol Hill Briefings
HSHPS staff met with congressional representatives, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Robert Menendez and the Honorable Henry Bonilla to share knowledge on the magnitude of obesity and diabetes among Hispanic families and the organization’s role in response to this epidemic. The congressional representatives attended the organization’s first Hispanic Health Briefing on Obesity and Diabetes held on July 15, 2004. The congressional briefing was designed to bring attention to the devastating crisis of diabetes and obesity facing Hispanic families. It was a collaborative effort with the Inter-University Program for Latino Research (IUPLR) and the National Council of the Raza (NCLR) to form a consortium of medical, public health, social science scholars, and policy and community advocates. Dr. Fernando Mendoza discussed “Obesity and Diabetes: An Epidemic Among Hispanics,” and other speakers at the congressional briefing included Dr. Israel Cuellar, director of the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University; and Carlos Ugarte, MSPH, deputy vice president of the Institute for Hispanic Health at the National Council of La Raza. Dr. Cuellar presented “The Role of Community-Based Interventions: A Social Science Perspective.”

The Coalition for Health Funding is leading a Health Summit effort to heighten awareness of the need for commitment of additional resources to federal public health agencies and programs during the FY 2006 budget process. One of the activities that both Health Summit Group participants, and the Board of Directors of the Coalition for Health Funding, feel is needed, is a Congressional Briefing, before mark up FY 2006 Budget Resolution, to educate new Members of Congress and their staffs, and those not familiar with public health programs, about public health -- what it is, what difference it makes, the importance of the Federal role. HSHPS is a sponsor of the briefing which will be held on March 4th, 2005 and is titled” Public Health 101”.

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