[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S12283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     MEN OF COLOR HEALTH INITIATIVE

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, at this time, I would like to take a moment 
to recognize, encourage, and pay tribute to a comprehensive, new health 
initiative called ``The Men of Color Health Initiative'' which was 
started at the Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center in my State of 
Massachusetts in 1993. This outstanding health service has combined 
years of careful and thoughtful research with a grassroots outreach 
program that brings to light important health care issues such as 
access to health care for people of African, Asian and Latino descent 
throughout Massachusetts and the United States.
  The Men of Color Health Initiative was inspired by the need to 
address, in a comprehensive and culturally appropriate manner, the many 
health and social issues facing men of color today. In 1993, 
representatives of this program embarked upon a statewide study to 
examine why ethnic minority men did not routinely have access to the 
health system. This project was designed to educate and activate men of 
African, Asian and Latino descent with regard to healthy lifestyles and 
appropriate medical care. The key to this process was the need to 
understand the health care needs, experiences, issues and perceptions 
of these highly exposed and often neglected groups.
  This focused health care initiative takes a large step forward in 
attempting to help men of color become more aware of the health care 
options they have today. Many of the men interviewed before the 
inception of this program indicated that hospital emergency rooms were 
insensitive, inefficient, nonresponsive, and biased against ethnic 
minority men. There was an underlying distrust in and cynicism about 
the health system today. Many stated that language barriers keep them 
away from the options that they do have.
  This program has gone the extra mile to see that the necessary 
surveys are conducted and discussion groups are available for male 
health system users and community-based providers to elicit information 
about viable methods to reach the population at risk. I applaud the 
efforts of this superb program and I wish it much success in the 
future. This thoughtful and successful program should be a model for 
others across the United States.

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