Coalition History
Over the past 15 years there has been exponential growth in the number of Hispanics/Latinos living in South Carolina. In 2000 Governor Jim Hodges, through the Commission of Minority Affairs invited Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina to chair the Governor’s Task Force on Hispanic Issues in order to help identify the needs of this population. Dr. Parra-Medina then asked Dr. DeAnne Messias to serve as the leader for the task force’s Hispanic health subcommittee to, more specifically, identify health care needs for Hispanics/Latinos living in South Carolina.
Fifty representatives of the Hispanic population including Hispanic-serving organizations, healthcare providers, and other interested parties from across the state came together and discussed the main issues that needed to be addressed to better this population’s health. The group identified topics such as healthcare access, cultural competency, cost, immigration issues and structural issues. After the task force met and identified these concerns, many of the members wanted to continue advocating for Hispanic health. This group formed an official organization, and in 2002 the South Carolina Hispanic/Latino Health Coalition was born.
Past Chairs |
|
Myriam Torres Edena Meetze Deborah Parra-Medina |
2004-2006 2002-2004 2001-2002 |
AUG
4
HPV / Cervical Cancer Conference
Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham, North Carolina
AUG
28
AIDS Benefit
Manantial de Vida, Spring of Life. Lutheran Church, Columbia, SC
MAY
1
9th Hispanic Health Issues Conference
Hispanic Health in Times of Change: Challenges and Opportunities.