Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today announced the City of Las Vegas would receive $1.67 million from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to fund efforts to improve health outcomes in communities of color. Specifically, the funds will support health education and literacy programs to train providers to respond to the needs of Nevada’s disenfranchised communities and help underserved Nevadans find, understand, and use health care information on everything from where to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to how to detect and prevent breast cancer.
“Las Vegas has been so hard hit by the pandemic, and our communities of color have been disproportionately impacted,” said Cortez Masto, who pushed for this funding with HHS. “These communities have unique needs, and this funding will help health care providers meet people where they are. It will make a big difference in our efforts to support vulnerable families and help us emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever. I’ll keep working to make sure all Nevadans can stay safe and healthy.”
The first Latina Senator, Cortez Masto has been a champion in the Senate for improving access to care for communities of color in Nevada, including those affected by COVID-19, and has helped secure an additional $25 million to provide vaccines to underserved communities. She has also pushed for robust funding for the Office of Minority Health at HHS.
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