Washington, D.C. (12/5/05)— PR News’ Nonprofit PR Awards recognized Hyde Park Communications with an honorable mention for its work on the “Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce.” The Sullivan Commission was developed by former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., and funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
The program is raising awareness about the need for more minority representation in the health care work force. A lack of diversity, the Commission found, is a key factor in quality and accessibility of health care to minority groups.
“It is a privilege to be part of an effort aimed at reducing disparities and to work with the esteemed Dr. Sullivan and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation,” said Jeffrey M. Sandman, CEO of Hyde Park Communications. “We are honored to be recognized by the industry for our strong and valuable work.”
The Sullivan Commission launched in 2003, when its 15 members traveled across the country engaging supporters, answering critics, enlisting support and communicating with local media. By 2004, the findings from field hearings were compiled into the Commission’s final report, Missing Persons: Minorities in the Health Professions. In addition to gaining more than 100 million media impressions across the country, Congress recognized the Sullivan Commission’s work with the introduction of the “Closing the Health Care Gap Act” in February 2004.