State Senator Eric D. Coleman
May 6, 2008
Coleman’s Bill to Create Minority Health Advisory Commission Gains Senate Approval
The Senate has approved a bill co-sponsored by Senator Eric Coleman (D-Bloomfield) that establishes a Minority Health Advisory Commission to deal with health disparities across racial, ethics and cultural populations. The goal is to help provide quality health care for all of the residents of our state.
The commission will work to eliminate disparities in health status among the state's multicultural, multilingual, and multiethnic communities and to improve the overall health quality of health for state residents. It will begin the process of analyzing and making recommendations to the General Assembly on the issues of access, quality, resources and the quality of health care.
In addition, the commission will evaluate the impact of the departments of Public Health, Social Services, Children and Families, Developmental Services, and Education programs on eliminating health disparities. It will also explore successful programs in other states and pilot new creative programs that may diminish or contribute to the elimination of health disparities.
"Many years ago, a mentor to me, the late Dr. Frederick Adams, who served as Connecticut's Public Health Commissioner, sort of encapsulated the disparities in health between minorities and their white counterparts. He indicated that many minorities are diagnosed later, treated less aggressively and die earlier than their white counterparts," said Senator Coleman. "It was his foresight that brought to my attention the need to address the disparate conditions concerning health between minorities in Connecticut and others. And for those reasons I'm very happy this bill is moving forward and hopefully, the Minority Health Advisory Commission will help deal with those disparities."
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