Senate Bill 501 provides for a comprehensive approach and allows Texas to maximize resources and produce better results through the development of recommendations for strategies that cut across every system that contributes to disproportionality and disparities for the same populations. The legislation also established the Interagency Council for Addressing Disproportionality which is composed of representatives from various state agencies and community-based interested parties, including former foster care youth, representatives from the medical community, and representatives from community- and faith-based organizations.
The Center
The Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities was created by Senate Bill 501 in 2011 to help address disproportionality and disparities in Texas health and human services. Senate Bill 501 established the center as the Texas State Office of Minority Health to assume a leadership role in working
with state and federal agencies, universities, private groups, communities, foundations, and offices of minority health to decrease or eliminate health and health access disparities among racial, multicultural, disadvantaged, ethnic, and regional populations. The Center had a name change to Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Office of Minority Health Statistics and Engagement​ and is now closed. However, great efforts were made by all of the specialists and community leaders across the state of Texas.
