Funding will place students into paid opportunities with the Nevada Minority Health and Equity Coalition that address health disparities in the community
LAS VEGAS (May 12, 2021) -- The UNLV School of Public Health recently received a $30,000 endowment fund from Aetna Better Health of NevadaAetna Better Health of Nevada is a trade name of Aetna Health of Utah, Inc., the Medicaid managed care business of Aetna®, a CVS Health® company (NYSE: CVS). The fund will provide financial support for internships with the Nevada Minority Health and Equity Coalition (NMHEC), housed within the School of Public Health.
Interns taking part in the program will be essential in helping to forward NMHEC’s mission to eliminate health disparities in the state of Nevada through collaboration among partners, leaders, and stakeholders who are committed to improving the health and well-being of underserved communities.
“As a company committed to removing barriers to care and improving health outcomes, we are proud to support this program and the critical work underway to address health disparities in underserved communities,” said Lorry Bottrill, Southwest Territory leader, Aetna Medicaid. “Many students in this program are just beginning their careers and internship opportunities like these provide the hands-on experience and tools needed to excel in the workforce.”
Students in these internship positions will help conduct listening sessions with key populations across the state and engage in valuable research. Students will also assist in efforts to disseminate information on important health topics, including COVID-19, childhood obesity, children and maternal health, Medicaid eligibility, tobacco use, mental health, vaccinations, and culturally relevant chronic disease prevention.
“Never has there been a more important time to create new leaders in public health,” said Shawn Gerstenberger, dean of the UNLV School of Public Health. “We know how difficult it is to find paid internships during this pandemic, so we are grateful for Aetna’s support in providing this extraordinary opportunity for our students.”
Through Aetna’s endowment, one School of Public Health student will serve as an intern each year for NMHEC over the next 30 years.
“We are grateful for Aetna’s partnership to help further initiatives of the Nevada Minority Health and Equity Coalition,” said Jose Melendrez, NMHEC Chair. “This is a special opportunity for students to be part of crucial work to help improve the health and well-being of people in our communities.”
About UNLV School of Public Health
The UNLV School of Public Health was established in 2004 with the goal of improving the health and well-being of people worldwide. More than fifteen years later, its departments, programs, and research units are growing and still working to provide a diverse education, practical training experience, and numerous community involvement opportunities to prepare students to become leaders and professionals in the field of Public Health. Learn more at unlv.edu/publichealth
About Nevada Minority Health & Equity Coalition
The Nevada Minority Health & Equity Coalition (NMHEC) is a partnership of academic, civic, private and community organizations that aim to address health disparities and inequities in Nevada by building capacity, informing policy, and conducting research. NMHEC was established in 2016 as a response to requests from community members and elected officials for a grassroots, locally driven organization that could interface between the community and state and local funders. NMHEC is committed to address and advance minority health outcomes in Nevada and to “move the needle” on poor health outcomes and statistics that contribute to significant health disparities among underserved groups in Nevada. Learn more at nmhec.org
About Aetna Medicaid
Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC (Aetna Medicaid), a CVS Health company, has over 30 years of experience managing the care of the most medically vulnerable, using innovative approaches and a local presence in each market to achieve both successful health care results and effective cost outcomes. Aetna Medicaid has particular expertise serving high-need Medicaid members, including those who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Currently, Aetna Medicaid owns and/or administers Medicaid managed health care plans under the names of Aetna Better Health and other affiliate names. Together, these plans serve approximately 2.8 million people in 15 states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Texas. For more information, see www.aetnabetterhealth.com.