Expanding Telehealth to Reduce Health Disparities in the African American Community

WHEREAS, the recent pandemic of the novel coronavirus has reaffirmed the need to expand access to affordable, quality healthcare including medical, behavioral and dental care in the African American community; and

WHEREAS, many African American communities are underserved for primary care by the traditional medical, behavioral and dental health care delivery systems and, as a result, are often designated by the federal government as Medically Underserved Areas; and

WHEREAS, technologies have proven to be highly effective in reaching African Americans and other persons of color throughout the pandemic when in-person visits have been limited; and

WHEREAS, telehealth has the unique ability to quickly expand access to quality, affordable care to African Americans who have historically suffered from the lack of access to and excessive cost of healthcare; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP is concerned about the lack of progress In addressing African American healthcare disparities by federal, state and local governments and traditional medical, behavioral and dental health care delivery systems.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls upon Congress and state legislatures to support and pass legislation that expands access to telehealth and teledentistry so that more African Americans and other communities of color will have access to healthcare through technology and that no additional barriers to telemedicine be enacted via statute or regulation.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP will advocate for national policies that maximize the use and benefit of telemedicine, including services to address medical, behavioral and dental issues within African American populations.