Advocates seek office of minority health

Jennifer Coleman

Monday, March 22, 1999 | 5:01 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Creating a state minority health office could help reduce a teen pregnancy rate among blacks and Hispanics that's far higher than the rate for white Nevada teen-agers, advocates said Monday.

Of every 1,000 Hispanic teens, 121 will get pregnant, advocates told the Senate Finance Committee that's considering a bill to create the office. That rate is almost 3.5 times the average of 37 pregnancies per 1,000 white teen-agers.

A state minority health office could tackle this and other health issues that occur more often in minority populations, such as hypertension, diabetes, AIDS and HIV, said Ellie Lopez-Bowlan of the Northern Nevada Minority Health Coalition.

Under SB4, the office would be charged with educating the public and increasing access to health care for minorities.

"We know that minorities do come to the doctor with diseases in more advanced stages than others, which ends up costing the state more money," said Carla Freeman of the Southern Minority Health Coalition.

The Department of Human Resources estimated the cost of the office would be $350,000 a year. But Lopez-Bowlan calculated the cost closer to $100,000 a year, based on how 39 other states are funding their minority health offices.

Facing a tight budget, Finance Chairman Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said that estimate could make a difference in the committee's decision.

"I think everyone supports the concept. It's a matter of what can we do within the confines of the fiscal situation this year," said Raggio.

Sen. Bernice Mathews, D-Sparks, asked if the current minority health liaison couldn't handle the duties, but Lopez-Bowlan said the liaison was already too busy to meet with community groups. She added that federal matching funds and grants could only be received when Nevada had established a division devoted to minority health issues.

"We need the authority behind the word 'division'," she said. "The federal government doesn't recognize one person as a minority health division."

No action was taken on SB4.