a. There are dramatic differences in death, disease and injury rates between White and racial and ethnic minority populations in the State, with especially wide and persistent disparities in the incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke, chemical dependency, diabetes, asthma, homicide, suicide, accidental injury, infant mortality, child immunization rates and HIV/AIDS;

b. There is a clear need for a collaborative State effort to address the wide disparity in death, disease and injury rates through a New Jersey Office on Minority and Multicultural Health, renamed from the New Jersey Office on Minority Health established pursuant to P.L.1991, c.401 (C. 26:2-160 et seq.); and

c. The New Jersey Office on Minority and Multicultural Health shall seek to identify and develop innovative projects which will eliminate the gap between the health status of White and racial and ethnic minority populations in this State, and to coordinate current State programs which seek to address minority racial and ethnic health concerns, with the ultimate goal of enabling all members of racial and ethnic minority populations in this State to have access to high-quality health care.

L.1991,c.401,s.1; amended 2001, c.205, s.2.