Minority and Multicultural Health Projects
Ongoing projects
Outreach to Media Serving Cultural Communities in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Health and the Office of Minority and Multicultural Health maintains a list of media outlets that serve people with limited English proficiency and other cultural communities. If you know of print, radio or television stations that should be included in our database, please send an e-mail to edie.french@state.mn.us. Include the outlet, media form, community served, news director name and contact info, and Web site.
Media outlets list (Excel: 51KB)
Autism and the Somali Community
During the fall of 2008, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Somali community began a dialogue
related to concerns expressed by the community about the number ofpreschool Somali children with a classification
of autism in the Minneapolis Public Schools. During this process, a need for more information was identified.
For resources and information on autism for Somali families, see Autism and the Somali Community.
Community Health Worker Project
Minnesota’s Community Health Worker Project is a statewide initiative whose mission is to reduce cultural and linguistic barriers to health care, improve quality and cost effectiveness of care, and increase the number of health care workers who come from diverse backgrounds or underserved communities. Community Health Workers come from the communities they serve, working at the grassroots level building trust and vital relationships which make them effective culture brokers between their own communities and systems of care. CHWs:
- Teach navigation through the health care system - increasing health care access
- Educate health care knowledge – lowering health disparities
- Bridge the gap between cultures and health care systems – improving health outcomes
For more information see Community Health Worker Project.
Genomics
Since completing the Human Genomics Project, governmental agencies, academic centers and their partners have focused on how to engage communities in a dialogue about issues in genetics and genomics. In 2004, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) began funding community engagement projects in different regions of the country. Minnesota, as well as nine other midwestern states, received funding to conduct a local dialogue focused on education and greater community involvement. The Office of Minority and Multicultural Health collaborated with the Science Museum of Minnesota, Minneapolis Public Schools, Macalester College and several other organizations to implement Youth Engagement with Genomics.
Genomics project flyer (PDF: 578KB/1 page)