[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 136 (Tuesday, July 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39068-39069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13739]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


 Solicitation of Nomination for Appointment to the Advisory 
Committee on Minority Health

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority 
Health.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 300u-6, Section 1707 of the Public Health 
Service Act, as amended. The Advisory Committee is governed by 
provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), 
which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory 
committees.

SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Service (HHS), Office of 
Public Health and Science (OPHS), is seeking nominations of qualified 
candidates to be considered for appointment as a member of the Advisory 
Committee on Minority Health (ACMH). In accordance with Public Law 105-
392, the Committee provides advice to the Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for Minority Health, on the development of goals and specific program 
activities of the Office of Minority Health (OMH) designed to improve 
the health of racial and ethnic minority groups. Nominations of 
qualified candidates are being sought to fill vacant positions on the 
Committee.

DATES: Nominations for membership on the Committee must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. EST on September 17, 2007, at the address listed 
below.

ADDRESSES: All nominations should be mailed or delivered to Dr. Garth 
Graham, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, Office of 
Minority Health, Office of Public Health and Science, Department of 
Health and Human Services, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 600, Rockville, 
MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Monica Baltimore, Executive 
Director, Advisory Committee on Minority Health, Office of Minority 
Health, Office of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and 
Human Services, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 600, Rockville, MD 20852; 
Telephone: (240) 453-2882.
    A copy of the Committee charter and list of the current membership 
can be obtained by contacting Ms. Baltimore or by accessing the Web 
site managed by OMH at http://www.omhrc.gov/acmh.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Public Law 105-392, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services established the ACMH. The 
Committee provides advice to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Minority Health in carrying out the duties stipulated under Public Law 
105-392. This includes providing advice to improve the health of each 
racial and ethnic minority group and in the development of goals and 
specific activities of the OMH, which are:
    (1) Establish short-range and long-range goals and objectives and 
coordinate all other activities within the Public Health Service that 
relate to disease prevention, health promotion, service delivery, and 
research concerning such individuals;
    (2) Enter into interagency agreements with other agencies of the 
Public Health Service;
    (3) Support research, demonstrations, and evaluations to test new 
and innovative models;
    (4) Increase knowledge and understanding of health risk factors;
    (5) Develop mechanisms that support better information 
dissemination, education, prevention, and service delivery to 
individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including individuals who 
are members of racial or ethnic minority groups;
    (6) Ensure that the National Center for Health Statistics collects 
data on the health status of each minority group;
    (7) With respect to individuals who lack proficiency in speaking 
the English language, enter into contracts with public and nonprofit 
private providers of primary health services for the purpose of 
increasing the access of these individuals to such services by 
developing and carrying out programs to provide bilingual or 
interpretive services;
    (8) Support a national minority health resource center to carry out 
the following:
    (a) Facilitate the exchange of information regarding matters 
relating to health information and health promotion, preventive health 
services, and education in appropriate use of health care;
    (b) Facilitate access to such information;
    (c) Assist in the analysis of issues and problems relating to such 
matters;
    (d) Provide technical assistance with respect to the exchange of 
such information (including facilitating the development of materials 
for such technical assistance);
    (9) Carry out programs to improve access to health care services 
for individuals with limited proficiency in speaking the English 
language. Activities under the preceding sentence shall include 
developing and evaluating model projects; and
    (10) Advising in matters related to the development, 
implementation, and evaluation of health professions education in 
decreasing disparities in health care outcomes, including cultural 
competency as a method of eliminating health disparities.
    Management and support services for the ACMH are provided by the 
OMH, which is a program office within the OPHS.
    Nominations: The OPHS is requesting nominations for vacant 
positions on the ACMH. The Committee is composed of 12 voting members, 
in addition to non-voting ex officio members. This announcement is 
seeking nominations for voting members. Voting members of the Committee 
are appointed by the Secretary from individuals who are not officers or 
employees of the Federal Government and who have expertise regarding 
issues of minority health. To qualify for consideration of appointment 
to the Committee, an individual must possess demonstrated experience 
and expertise working on issues/matters impacting the health of racial 
and ethnic minority populations. The charter

[[Page 39069]]

stipulates that the racial and ethnic minority groups shall be equally 
represented on the Committee membership. This means we are seeking 
candidates who can represent the health interest of Hispanics/Latino 
Americans; Blacks/African Americans; American Indians and Alaska 
Natives; and/or Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific 
Islanders.
    Mandatory Professional/Technical Qualifications: Nominees must meet 
all of the following mandatory qualifications to be eligible for 
consideration.
    (1) Expertise in minority health and racial and ethnic health 
disparities.
    (2) Expertise in developing or contributing to the development of 
health policies and/or programs. This may include experience in the 
analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of Federal health or 
regulatory policy.
    (3) Involvement in national, regional, tribal, and/or community 
efforts to improve minority health.
    (4) Educational achievement, professional certification(s) in 
health-related field (behavioral health, public health, nursing, 
environmental health, nutrition, pharmacy, epidemiology, health 
administration, etc.), and professional experience that will support 
ability to give expert advise on issues related to improving minority 
health and eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities.
    Desirable Qualifications: It is desired that the nominee have:
    (1) Knowledge of national health policies and programs managed by 
the HHS.
    (2) Job-related training, self-development, and outside 
professional activities which provides evidence of initiative, 
resourcefulness, and potential for effective performance.
    Requirements for Nomination Submission: Nominations should be 
typewritten (one nomination per nominator). The following information 
should be included in the package of material submitted for each 
individual being nominated for consideration: (1) A letter of 
nomination that clearly states the name and affiliation of the nominee, 
the basis for the nomination (i.e., specific attributes which qualify 
the nominee for service in this capacity), and a statement that the 
nominee is willing to serve as a member of the Committee; (2) the 
nominator's name, address, and daytime telephone number, and the home 
and/or work address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the 
individual being nominated; (3) a current copy of the nominee's 
curriculum vitae, and (4) provide narrative responses to the mandatory 
professional/technical qualifications listed above in regard to the 
nominee's expertise. Federal employees should not be nominated for 
consideration of appointment to this Committee.
    Individuals selected for appointment to the Committee shall be 
invited to serve four year terms. Committee members who are not 
officers or employees of the United States Government will receive a 
stipend for attending Committee meetings and conducting other business 
in the interest of the Committee, including per diem and reimbursement 
for travel expenses incurred.
    The Department makes every effort to ensure that the membership of 
HHS Federal advisory committees is fairly balanced in terms of points 
of view represented and the committee's function. Every effort is made 
to ensure that a broad representation of geographic areas, females, 
ethnic and minority groups, and the disabled are given consideration 
for membership on HHS Federal advisory committees. Appointment to this 
Committee shall be made without discrimination on the basis of age, 
race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural, 
religious, or socioeconomic status. Nominations must state that the 
nominee is willing to serve as a member of ACMH and appears to have no 
conflict of interest that would preclude membership. An ethics review 
is conducted for each selected candidate. Therefore, individuals 
selected for nomination will be required to provide detailed 
information concerning such matters as financial holdings, 
consultancies, and research grants or contracts to permit evaluation of 
possible sources of conflict of interest.

    Dated: July 2, 2007.
Mirtha R. Beadle,
Deputy Director, OMH.
 [FR Doc. E7-13739 Filed 7-16-07; 8:45 am]
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