Navarro Participates in Latino Health Forum

Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro participated as a panelist with several regional elected and appointed officials at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s (COG) Latino Health Forum on Sept. 30. The panel discussion, which highlighted healthcare disparities in the Latino Community, included Walter Tejada, chairman of the Arlington County Board, and Beatriz Otero, the District of Columbia’s deputy mayor for Health and Human Services. The purpose of the forum was to increase awareness about regional issues of access and quality of healthcare in the National Capital Region.

The forum provided an opportunity to engage in a regional discussion about what jurisdictions are doing. It included discussion on ways to think creatively about working collaboratively to close the gap in services provided to this growing constituency. The conversation also focused on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Consistent with national trends, Latinos face a variety of barriers to receiving high-quality health care services because of economic factors, language barriers and cultural competency in the delivery of health care.

“This conference represents an important first step toward developing a regional approach to bridging the gap in access to quality care for everyone in our community,” said Council President Navarro.

The forum took place at the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, D.C., and the agenda consisted of several panel discussions covering a range of important issues around the provision of healthcare for Latinos in jurisdictions across the metropolitan area.

After each panel discussion there was a question-and-answer period. Attendees included stakeholders from non-profit organizations, private and public healthcare providers, community-based organizations and local health department officials.

A Regional Latino Health and Community Resources Directory was provided to participants as a resource that includes a list of more than 100 agencies and programs that serve the communities of the National Capital Region. Copies are available for download through the COG web site at www.mwcog.org.

For more information about the forum, contact Bertha Flores in the office of Council President Navarro at bertha.flores@montgomerycountymd.gov .

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