NASDDDS’ Sisneros Addresses DEI with Secretary Becerra

NASDDDS Director of Equity Initiatives and System Innovations, Regina Rodriguez Sisneros, joined local leaders on April 3 to discuss improving health care access and equity with Colorado Governor, Jared Polis, and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra. The group gathered at the Tepeyac Community Health Center in Denver to talk about Colorado’s continued commitment and progress in improving health care affordability as well as ways the Biden-Harris administration can further support those efforts. “We’re going to do everything we can to reach out to the communities that have been left out,” Becerra told the crowd.  

Regina Rodriguez Sisneros took the opportunity to speak with Secretary Becerra following the event and discussed with him NASDDDS’ use of the HHS/Office of Minority Health’s CLAS Blueprint when working with states and developing the NASDDDS’ Embedding DEI Tool. Sisneros implored the Secretary to consider developing a blueprint version designed for communities to learn from in plain language and with a module on the terms to encourage health literacy.  This approach would provide greater opportunity for people with I/DD and others to come to the table as equal contributors with a common understanding. 

“This event was a powerful example of the importance of health care access and literacy for all communities,” said Regina Rodriguez Sisneros. “The willingness of the Secretary and Governor to tackle these important issues head on supports the vision of our member states who continue to work in  pursuit of equitable and universal access to healthcare and all the benefits of HCBS.”