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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Hall

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/09/07

HM 6

SHORT TITLE

UNM National Center For Health Policy

SB

ANALYST Moser

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NFI

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Health Policy Commission

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Memorial 6 supports the creation of the National Center for Health Policy at the

University of New Mexico

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

None

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) joined with the University of New Mexico (UNM) to

establish a national center for health policy at UNM. Started with an initial commitment of

$18.5 million, the interdisciplinary center will have dedicated leadership and staffing as well as

its own physical location on UNM's main campus. Through its students and programs, the

Center will contribute to the development and implementation of national health policies by

increasing the number of Hispanic and Native American scholars who can engage in the debate

as leaders.

House Memory 6 – Page

2

The Health Policy Commission indicates that the creation of the Robert Wood Johnson

Foundation Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico comes at a time when the

nation's ethnic and racial diversity is rapidly increasing, and will be guided by the principle that

development of health policy should be grounded in the experience of the people it represents.

Currently, few Hispanics and Native Americans are bringing their perspectives to health policy

discussions. Minority groups disproportionately face barriers to good health. Many lack access

to quality health care, are faced with unhealthy living environments, and suffer from poor health,

disability, and earlier death. The Center will be a physical, educational, and cultural home for

promising minority leaders and others, providing them with the training, research, and

opportunities they need to inform discussions and debates about health policy.

GM/mt