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The University of New Mexico has unveiled a multimillion-dollar plan to create a think tank that will put Hispanic and Native scholars at the forefront of the national debate on health policy issues.

“We are delighted to create a center that will one day strongly influence health policy in this country,” said acting UNM President David Harris.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation officials have given the university an $18.5 million grant - the largest private gift in UNM history - to establish a national center for health policy at the university. The center aims to help Native and Hispanic students who are pursuing doctoral programs in the social sciences.

“To create the best health care services for all Americans, the country needs a diverse group of leaders in Washington and in academic circles who represent the interests, cultures and needs of this incredibly diverse nation,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, the foundation president. “When it comes to health, one size does not fit all. We need to nurture and support a new generation of health policy leaders with diverse perspectives.”

Charlene Porsild, program manager for the Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health Policy, will be searching the country for doctoral students. Candidates will be eligible for $22,000 annual scholarships. Students will be able to choose courses of study existing within UNM's political science, economics and sociology programs.

“We can recruit Hispanics, we have so many in the pipeline already,” said Porsild. “The biggest challenge is going to be finding Native Americans. We just don't have that many in master's programs who are going that direction.”

Doctoral fellowships will also be available in programs such as communications, journalism, anthropology and education. Additional center money exists for dissertation research scholarships, postdoctoral fellows, part-time graduate students, and joint masters-doctoral degrees in public health.

Of the $18.5 million given to UNM for the health policy center, $8 million has been set aside for an endowment. The $10.5 million will be used to operate the center over the next five years, with the likelihood that the foundation will continue to fund the policy center.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation officials believe health policy should be grounded in the experience of the people it represents, said Porsild. Currently, few Hispanics and Native people have the opportunity to bring their perspectives to health policy discussions.

Minority groups disproportionately face barriers to good health. Many lack access to quality health care and face unhealthy living environments, suffer from poor health and premature death.

The health policy center is scheduled to be operating by fall 2007. The UNM serves more than 32,000 students, of which nearly half are minorities, including 30 percent Hispanic and 12 percent Native.

“As New Mexicans, we are very proud of our diversity and our role as national leaders on health policy,” said New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. “This center will ensure minority, Hispanic and Native American voices are included in the national health care policy discussion.”

Learn more

For more information on the Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health Policy, contact Richard Santos, Department of Economics and College of Pharmacy at (505) 277-2107 or santos@unm.edu.

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