Office on Multicultural Health History
In August 1993 the OMH was created in the Department of Public by Executive Order W-58-93, and established in statue in 1999 (Health and Safety Code Section 150-152).
The OMH carries out its responsibilities in these key areas:
1. Health Planning and Policy Development
- Analyze legislation and policies from the perspective of their impact on the health status of California's ethnic and racial populations; and
- Strategic planning to implement and achieve CDPH and DHCS goals and objectives to close the gaps in health status and access to care among the State's diverse populations
2. Technical Assistance and Training
- Resource to CDPH and DHCS programs on issues related to multicultural health and cultural and linguistic competency.
3. Health Initiatives/Program Services
- Consult and collaborate with CDPH and DHCS programs and other entities on strategies to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities.
4. Impact of Program Activities on Communities
- Promote culturally appropriate and linguistically accessible services for California’s multicultural communities; and
- Facilitate communication related to multicultural health between CDPH and DHCS programs and California's ethnic and racial communities.
5. Program Evaluation
- Assists programs in assessing whether programs are improving access and eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities in California.
- Advise programs on appropriate racial and ethnic data collection.