On Wednesday, October 25, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra engaged in a productive meeting with leaders representing national Latino civil rights organizations, direct-service providers, and advocacy groups. The primary focus of this meeting was to explore ongoing collaboration opportunities between HHS and these vital organizations in the pursuit of enhancing health outcomes within the Latino community and advancing health equity.

This roundtable discussion marked the latest in a series of interactions and engagements between Latino community leaders and HHS. Secretary Becerra emphasized the tangible results achieved by the Biden-Harris Administration in granting the Latino community increased access to healthcare, addressing behavioral health concerns, and facilitating connections between Latino organizations and available HHS resources. He expressed his gratitude to the Latino leaders for their contributions and reaffirmed HHS's unwavering commitment to working closely with Latino community organizations.

HHS has undertaken several noteworthy initiatives aimed at enhancing health outcomes and services for the Latino community. These include initiatives such as reducing prescription drug costs through the Inflation Reduction Act, offering Spanish-language text and chat services for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, launching a Spanish-language website for FindSupport.gov (EncuentraApoyo.gov), and ensuring the widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines and test kits. Furthermore, through the HHS Health Workforce Initiative, HHS is actively strengthening the healthcare workforce pipeline, recruitment, retention, and career advancement while maintaining a strong emphasis on equity and cultural competency.

President Biden's Bipartisan Unity Agenda and the Fiscal Year 2024 budget prioritize investments aimed at closing health disparities. HHS remains committed to ensuring that individuals, families, and communities, including those within the Latino community, have access to quality, affordable healthcare. HHS is dedicated to a department-wide approach to delivering integrated and equitable healthcare.

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