National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

**About NIMHD** NIMHD was first established as the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (Public Law 106-525), in 2000 and redesignated as an Institute in 2010, as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law. 111-148). The Institute’s full history dates back to the creation of the Office of Minority Programs in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of the Director in 1990. Then, in 1993 (Public Law 103-43), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established the Office of Research on Minority Health, which developed a research agenda for minority health at NIH. **Mission** Central to NIMHD’s mission is the advancement of scientific knowledge and improving the health of NIH-designated populations experiencing health disparities. NIMHD conducts and supports research and training programs to advance knowledge and understanding of health disparities, identify mechanisms to improve minority health and reduce health disparities, and develop effective interventions to reduce health disparities in community and clinical settings. NIMHD is the lead organization at NIH for planning, reviewing, coordinating, and evaluating minority health and health disparities research activities. NIMHD also promotes workforce development, supports research capacity at less-resourced institutions that train students in research careers, serves populations experiencing health disparities, supports participation in clinical research, and promotes information dissemination through regular communications, public education outreach, and scientific presentations.