June 2020 Newsletter
SCOTUS Ruling on DACA Assures Young People Home is Here
In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court announced that the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the DACA program was “arbitrary and capricious.”

The National Hispanic Medical Association released the following statement:

Yesterday’s ruling is a big and important step toward securing justice for Dreamers. Since its inception in 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has amassed nearly 800,000 immigrants, many of whom are helping in the frontlines during the pandemic, risking their health and safety.

The Center for American Progress estimates that around 29,000 DACA recipients were among the health care workers who were fighting against COVID-19. They stepped up and answered the call when their country needed them the most even with fear of deportation.

NHMA celebrates this momentous ruling and thanks the allies who fought hard to make it possible. We now call on the Senate to follow the House’s lead in passing the DREAM Act immediately.
NHMA stands in solidarity with the support for police reform and other strategies to decrease police brutality against African Americans. We encourage our members, colleagues and partners to consider donating to one of various funds and organizations that are helping to provide legal aid, working to end police brutality, and other disparities in the Black community. Please see a list of these organizations here .
The NHHF National Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship applications are NOW OPEN!
For more information and to register, go here .
NHMA COVID-19 Education and Advocacy
NHMA Board of Directors, Chapter Leaders and our networks – National Hispanic Health Professional Leadership Network, Council of Medical Societies, Latino Heath Organizations have provided their priorities to improve the health of Latinos through the following activities:
  1. Developed a Resource hub at HispanicHealth.info
  2. NHMA Board of Directors started a Collection of materials from the NHMA Chapters who have met 3 times to share their collections with NHMA, including video messages in Spanish
  3. NHMA sent a letter with input from above network to support COVID-19 Relief Legislation (CARES Act, HEROES Act) to Speaker Pelosi, Senate Leader McConnell
  4. NHMA sent letter to support COVID-19 Relief Legislation (CARES ACT) to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
  5. NHMA sent letter voicing concern on the Trump Administration’s Immigration Changes during COVID-19 to Congressional Hispanic Caucus Health Task Force
 
NHMA Resource Hub - HispanicHealth.info We invite you to send links to reports, articles, videos on COVID-19 and Physicians/Health Professionals Caring for Latinos and on Latino Messages. Please send your materials to Briah Stokes at bstokes@nhmamd.org .

NHMA has participated in meetings with partners on COVID-19 to share priorities for Federal advocacy. Read more here to see how our partners are involved.

NHMA Virtual Briefing Series – Join NHMA and its partners for our first virtual briefing series on COVID-19 and Latino Health.
 
#1 May 28 th – Managing Chronic Care Patients w/ COVID-19 * Please go here to watch this webinar for CME credit
#2 June 24 th – COVID-19 and Latino Mental Health
#3 July 22 nd – COVID-19 Impact on Health Care Delivery

**If you are interested in speaking on our monthly NHMA Virtual Briefing Series on your experience and strategies in dealing with COVID-19 and the suggestions for the health care delivery system - please send the topics you can address in an email to Elena Rios, MD at erios@nhmamd.org .
Legislative Update & Action Alerts
The Alliance of Multicultural Physicians , composed of the National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association, Association of American Indian Physicians, National Council of Asian and Pacific Islander Physicians, and Association of Black Cardiologists, released a statement regarding the need to address the longstanding lack of diversity in clinical trials, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full statement here .

One June 12, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), removing nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people when it comes to health care and health insurance. The rule also removes key notice requirements of informing individuals with Limited English Proficiency of their right to obtain critical health care information. Read the final rule here .

In a 6-3 ruling on June 15, the Supreme Court ruled that existing federal law forbids job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or transgender status. The Curt said Title VII makes it illegal for employers to discriminate because of a person’s sex, among other factors, which also includes sexual orientation and transgender status. Read more here .

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court rule on June 18 that the Trump administration violated federal law when it ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), upholding protections from deportation for roughly 649,000 unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. Read more here .


Action Alerts

  • The House of Representative passed The Heroes Act (H.R. 6800), the latest COVID-19 relief proposal, largely along party lines. The bill has an estimated cost of $3 trillion over 10 years and targets many problems including expanded food and unemployment assistance; another $1,200 relief payments to individuals; hazard pay for essential front-line workers; and health insurance premium payments for laid off workers. NHMA strongly supports this bill. The bill is currently in the Senate. Call or email your Senators today and urge them to support the bill. To find your senators’ contact information, please visit: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.
  • Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-CA), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-BY) introduced the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. The bill will support training to end racial profiling and racial bias, limit chokehold and carotid holds, and limit force used by police officers. NHMA strongly supports this bill. Call or email your Representative and Senators and urge them to co-sponsor the bill.  To find your representative’s contact information, please visit: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative. To find your senators’ contact information, please visit: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.

NHMA signed on to the following letters in May 2020:
  • The Alliance of Multicultural Physicians, composed of the composed of the National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association, Association of American Indian Physicians, National Council of Asian and Pacific Islander Physicians, and Association of Black Cardiologists, sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn regarding the need to address lack of diversity in clinical trials, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the letter here.
  • NHMA joined a national, state, and local organizations in a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Republican Leader McCarthy in support of The Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 (H.R. 6561), asks House leadership to look at Social Determinants of Health as they craft other legislation to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the letter here.
  • NHMA and 72 other national, state, and local organizations sent a letter to Members of Congress to sign on as original cosponsor of Congresswoman Barragan’s bill, The Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020. Read the letter here.
  • NHMA and Hispanic-focused medical associations sent a letter to House and Senate Leadership outlining Hispanic-specific issues that they should take into consideration when drafting the next COVID-19 relief bill. Read the letter here.
Programs Update
NHMA has various opportunities for our members and partners to engage with other health care providers and patients. Some of these opportunities include short educational videos on COVID-19, cardiovascular disease, and patients living with HIV; mentoring health professional students, spokespersons for the NHHF Stop Vaping Campaign, and more.

We encourage participation by its members to join our Chapters and support our Programs through one of our various participation needs.

Please check out and continue to support our Current Programs :

  • NIH All of Us Research Program - supported by All of Us Research
  • NHMA Chapters
  • NHMA Medical School Liaison Program
  • NHMA - CDC PACT - Let's Stop HIV Together - supported by CDC
  • NHMA Cardiovascular Disease Campaign - supported by Amgen
  • NHMA College Health Scholars Program - supported by HHS OMH
  • NHMA Chapters
  • NHMA Opioid Project - supported by Allied Against Opioid Abuse
  • Looking for advisory committee members! If interested, sign up here.
  • NHHF Stop Vaping Campaign - supported by CVS Health-Aetna Foundation
  • NHHF Health Literacy Program - supported by Centene Corporation
  • Looking for advisory committee members! If interested, sign up here.
  • NHMA 24th Annual Hispanic Health Conference
  • Has been postponed to March 18-21, 2021
  • NHHF Scholarship Galas
We are seeking physicians and health care providers that treat Hispanic/Latinx patients to create a short video on cardiovascular disease and the importance of being heart healthy, and physicians and providers treating Hispanic/Latinx patients with HIV to create a short video on the importance of HIV prevention/treatment.We are also seeking physicians to discuss COVID-19 and treating patients with the virus

Check out other educational videos our members have done on COVID-19, cardiovascular disease, HIV, and more, on our YouTube channel.Check out other educational videos our members have done on COVID-19, cardiovascular disease, HIV, and more, on our YouTube channel.
Membership Update
**Interested in becoming an NHMA leader? Join our committees, Council of Young Physicians, Council of Residents, Chapter Steering Committees today! If interested, please contact Vincent Gearity: vgearity@nhmamd.org .

We are also seeking Liaisons physicians or residents to meet with Latino Medical Students and Residents at Medical Schools in the NHMA Chapter Cities: Sacramento or Los Angeles, California; Albuquerque, Phoenix, El Paso, San Antonio, Harlingen, Chicago New Orleans, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC Metro Area, Atlanta, and Miami. Send your interest to nhma@nhmamd.org .

**The Center for Tobacco Products is seeking a nonvoting representative of the tobacco growers industry on the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC). NHMA will nominate Premier Members. If interested, contact Ben Melano at bmelano@nhmamd.org .

NHMA members have been interviewed by UNIVISION, TELEMUNDO News and have had op-eds in print and sent videos and messages through social media! We encourage our Premier Members' participation with us.

NHMA Members are hard at work being catalyst for change in their communities. 


The 4 major values of an NHMA membership are Advocacy, Education, Leadership Development and Networking. Our major benefits for health professionals:

  • Opportunities to be nominated for commissions and advisory boards in the Federal government, private sector, and other national health professional associations.
  • Opportunities to mentor medical students and residents.
  • Discounts at the NHMA Annual Conference for reg fees &Briefings for CME credits.
  • Opportunities to share your research either by being a speaker or poster presenter at our annual conference.
  • Network with other healthcare professionals our 16 NHMA Chapter Forums.

Our major benefits for residents/health professional students:

  • Opportunities to mentor college students.
  • Discounts at the NHMA Annual Conference.
  • Opportunities to share your research or service learning as a poster presenter at our annual conference.
  • Network with health professionals at one of NHMA Chapter Forums and Annual Conference.

Ways You Can Get Involved With NHMA:


Click below to see our membership options:


If you have received an award or attended an event and would like to be featured in our monthly Membership Update, please contact communications@nhmamd.org by the first Friday of every month.
NHMA Chapter Leader, Dr. Sergio Rimola was selected to serve on VALHEN's Board of Directors where he will encourage young Latinx students at Virginia Tech to go to pre-med and medical school.
NHMA Board of Directors Immediate Past-Chair Judy Flores, MD, spoke during the Federal Reserve NYC's Immigrant Health in NYC webinar.
NHMA Board of Directors Chair Nellie Correa was interviewed by HITN TV on Reopening NYC.
NHHF Board of Directors Mark Diaz discussed Reopening California with Telemundo.
NHMA President & CEO, Elena Rios, MD spoke during the Hardest Hit: Latino People and the Fight Against Coronavirus. In May, she also was interviewed by Becky G., Jose Zuniga, and Jasmine Brown for the GOOGLE Creative Series; and spoke at Stanford's
Featured Announcements
The NHHF National Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship applications are NOW OPEN!

Check here for more information.
Celebrating PRIDE Month: Latinos and HIV

by Dr. Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, FACP


Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month occurs in the United States to commemorate the  Stonewall riots , which occurred at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in a local region. 

It is important to call attention that LGBT people have been at high risk for HIV given stigma for sexual orientation in our society that has decreased motivation by LGBT people to seek medical care when they are ill. 

In the United States, Hispanics/Latinos number 60 million or 17 percent and are the largest ethnic group in the nation. It is important to understand that they have the highest proportion of being uninsured, being low-income with low levels of education and limited English proficiency and living in poverty with food deserts, poor housing, and limited health care facilities. Thus, these factors all decrease the access to health care among Latinos. For those at high risk for HIV, this lack of access means they do not know if they are positive for HIV.

Thus, the Latinos who are LGBT, although we celebrate their contributions to society during Pride Month, we should focus on the opportunity to call attention to their need to be tested and subsequently the need to be treated for HIV. One half of all people with HIV now, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are Latinos and a quarter of new HIV infections occur among Latinos. Indeed, Latinos who are LGBT have HIV higher than Latinos who are heterosexual.

The NHMA mission is to improve the health of Hispanics and we feel that living a quality life is important. In addition, NHMA believes that it is important to protect the spread of the HIV virus to your loved ones and family. So please join NHMA in encouraging our Latino LGBT people and all Latinos at high risk for HIV to get tested for HIV this Pride Month. 
NHMA has partnered with Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA) to create culturally appropriate material to educate Spanish-speaking audiences about prescription opioid safety.

NHMA is looking for physicians to join an Advisory Committee to help assist in creating this toolkit. Committee Members will inform NHMA on the toolkit's format and content and also advise on cultural sensitive translation of materials.

If you are interested in serving on the Advisory Committee, please click here to sign up by June 24, 2020. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ben Melano at bmelano@nhmamd.org or Vincent Gearity at vgearity@nhmamd.org .
We are working on a project called 'Living Lullabies,' a story for National Geographic documenting bedtime rituals for children around the world. The project explores how bedtime reflects the different circumstances facing children and families, and the roles played by stories and songs before sleep.
 
As part of this project we're documenting healthcare workers who are isolating, or partly isolating from their children. We're hoping to connect with folks who might be willing to have us record as they call home to say goodnight to their kids. We've recorded families as they read bedtime stories, sing, and say good night virtually. We're especially keen to connect with families who might be using songs to come together during this time. For those based in Massachusetts we've also photographed portraits from a distance.
 
If you might be interested to take part in the project, or wish to know more, please email Hannah Reyes Morales on  hannahrey.ph@gmail.com . The team would love to be in touch and answer any questions you may have. You may also find my previous work on www.hannah.ph and www.instagram.com/hannahreyesmorale s.
Hoy Health has launched the first bilingual telemedicine and medication program, HoyDoc+. See the press release here.
We are seeking physicians and health care providers that treat Hispanic/Latinx patients to create a short video on cardiovascular disease and the importance of being heart healthy, and physicians and providers treating Hispanic/Latinx patients with HIV to create a short video on the importance of HIV prevention/treatment.
Upcoming Events
Save the Dates
November 19: Los Angeles
December 4: New York City
Virtual Events
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Friday, June 26, 2020
Twitter Chat : National HIV Testing Day
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
We ask that you consider making a $25 donation to help NHMA & NHHF help our health professionals help their patients:

1) NHHF Health Professional Student Scholarship
2) NHMA Resident Leadership Program.
3) NHMA Physician Leadership Fellowship
4) Special donation requested for Puerto Rico earthquake disaster: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ .

Join NHMA as a member and participate in our Chapters and national campaigns and programs!

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