The health of a community starts with prevention and care. The Federation has been working on improving the health and well-being of the Latino community by:

• Providing direct health-related assistance to at-risk and underserved Latinos
• Educating Latinos throughout the Northeast about critical health issues
• Advocating locally and nationally for resources and policies that address existing Latino health disparities

Below is a list of some of our Latino health initiatives:

Health Insurance Enrollment

Since 1999, our Facilitated Enrollment Program has been helping low-income Latinos in NY enroll in free or low-cost health plans such as Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus and Medicaid. More than 15,000 Latino children and families have obtained access to health care as a result of this initiative. To maximize its outreach and impact, the Federation works closely with Ryan Nena Health Center and Urban Health Plan, health institutions that serve largely Latino neighborhoods in Manhattan and the Bronx. For more information on the Federation’s health insurance program, please contact Liliana Melgar.  

Health Disparities Task Force

The Federation is leading a Health Disparities Task Force comprised of the major ethnic medical, mental health and nursing associations in New York State.  The Task Force is providing expert testimony to legislators, public health officials and other key stakeholders on what needs to done to improve access and quality of care for communities of color. For more information on the Task Force, please contact Samantha Paz.

Hispanic Health Awareness Campaigns

The Federation carries out health prevention campaigns to educate Latino families on hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. In addition to raising awareness about these health issues through the media and other public forums, the Federation partners with its member agencies to provide individual counseling sessions and health screenings. For more information, please contact Liliana Melgar.   

Get Up, Get Moving

Each year the Hispanic Federation, in partnership with the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, organizes a community health fair to promote the benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle for Latino families. Called Get Up, Get Moving (GUGM), the fair features health screenings and workshops, exhibit booths, live entertainment, sporting activities, health education-focused attractions, dance lessons and a dance competition. The Hispanic Federation and other Latino organizations nationwide are using this initiative to address fitness, weight and general preventive health concerns within the Latino community. For more information on GUGM, please contact Liliana Melgar.

Let’s Talk About Cancer/Hablemos del Cáncer  

The Hispanic Federation is working with the National Alliance for Hispanic Health on a cancer prevention project called Let’s Talk About Cancer/Hablemos del cáncer.  The goal of this project is to increase awareness on the prevention, early detection, and survivorship for the cancers of the cervix, ovary, and skin in the Hispanic community. To achieve this, the Federation is conducting workshops and individual counseling sessions through its network of Latino health and human service agencies. For more information on our cancer prevention efforts, please contact Liliana Melgar.