Reducing Health Disparities in  Mississippi


Our ultimate goal is to eradicate health disparities and attain health equity, guaranteeing that all individuals can reach their highest possible standard of health.

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Back-to-School Supply Drive



A local push to get students ready for the school year kicked off in Jackson. The Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health and Word and Worship Church teamed up to host a school supply drive.

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Conference targets health equity for Black men in Mississippi

The annual Black Men’s Health Equity Conference was held at Tougaloo College. The conference addressed alarming disparities, as Black men face higher chronic disease rates and limited healthcare access.

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Black Men's Health Equity Conference at Tougaloo College

The Black Men’s Health Equity Conference returned to Tougaloo College, highlighting mental and physical health challenges faced by African American men in Mississippi.

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For our lives, we fight!


African Americans face high rates of death and illness, so we must help them quit smoking, encourage early cancer screenings, get more people tested for HIV, promote healthier lifestyles, and ensure they have access to quality health care.


Our Programs


IAMH programs are being implemented in the state of Mississippi with the goal of addressing the most pressing health issues currently impacting African Americans. We are leading the effort to make optimal health and well-being a reality for all Black women and girls.

Campaigns and Initiatives


As part of our initiatives, we implement campaigns and programs in conjunction with partner organizations in an effort to spread awareness about pertinent health issues among Black minorities.

Impact Stories

By Minority Health August 28, 2025
The third annual conference at Tougaloo College focused on breaking down barriers to care with workshops, free screenings, and open conversations about health equity for Black men. The Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health hosted its third annual Black Men’s Health Equity Conference this weekend at Tougaloo College, drawing community members, faith leaders, and policymakers to address the well-being of Black men across Mississippi. The event, held at the Bennie G. Thompson Academic and Civil Rights Research Center, featured conversations on mental health, chronic disease prevention, financial literacy, environmental justice, and even climate change. “It’s all about preventative health for Black men across the state of Mississippi,” said Warren Jones, an epidemiologist with the Institute. “This conference is important to acknowledge the disparities and come up with strategies to help men live healthier lives.” In addition to workshops and networking opportunities, free health screenings were offered to support early detection and prevention. Mississippi Public Service Commissioner DeKeither Stamps took part, encouraging others to do the same. “I got all my tests done. It’s critically important that you know your numbers and how to keep them low,” Stamps said. “If you have any negatives, there are professionals here to guide you.” Organizers say the conference provides a safe space for men to ask questions and learn directly from health experts. “There are no dumb questions,” said Mac Epps, CEO of the Epps Institute of Health and Family Community Living. “Events like these give you information you can’t always find online.” Leaders hope the annual event will continue breaking down barriers to care and encourage men to take charge of their health. They also stress the importance of regular screenings and staying connected with local resources.
By Minority Health August 27, 2025
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The annual Black Men’s Health Equity Conference returned to Tougaloo College on August 23. The mission of the Black Men’s Health Equity Conference, hosted by the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health, is to take a deep dive into both the mental and physical health challenges faced by African American men across Mississippi. “As a historically Black college, what we’re trying to do is create a a unit of healthy Mississippians to help with the economy as well as make sure that we’re creating a healthy, sound family unit. The Black man is often the backbone of the family unit,” said Sandra Melvin, founder and CEO of the Institute of the Advancement of Minority Health. A primary focus of the conference was prioritizing mental health in the Black community. According to staff members with the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health, they are aiming to create and promote healthy lifestyles for those attending the historically Black college. This year’s conference featured Ronald Martin, an award-winning journalist, as its keynote speaker. “One of the biggest issues that we deal with recently that’s impacting young Black men is suicide rates. For the longest time, African Americans were far behind white Americans when it comes to suicide rates,” Martin explained. ”Now we’re seeing a tremendous increase. Mental health is a major issue and that’s often underreported. It’s often overlooked.” Martin said he wants those who attended the conference to spread the word about what they learned so that real change can begin. “It’s one thing to get the information and say, ‘Hey, I was there and there were some great panel discussions,’” Martin said. “But what do you do now with it? The challenge to leadership of this conference is to say, ‘OK, how do we assess over the next 364 days?’ When you come back next year and we’ll be able to say, ‘Hey, this is some of the people we impacted.’ The focus is not on the people in the room; the focus is how do you invite the people who are not here.” For more information on African American health and ways to stay healthy, you can check out the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health’s website.
By Minority Health August 27, 2025
JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Black men face some of the highest rates of chronic disease, as well as some of the lowest access to care. The annual Black Men’s Health Equity Conference was held on Saturday at Tougaloo College in Jackson. It was hosted by the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health. The conference focused on closing the health gap affecting Black men in Mississippi and beyond. “Black men are three or four more times more likely than other groups to pass away from heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease, as well. So, these different chronic illnesses, the disparity rates are so wide. And these particular communities have also a low rate of screening and testing. So, it’s very important for us to educate and provide interventions to some of these chronic illnesses, as well,” said Warren Jones, Epidemiologist with the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health. Organizers said the conference is designed to raise awareness, offer education and connect people to critical resources, especially where access to care is limited. “We want to provide free resources from different nonprofits. Particularly right now, because we as we see that Medicaid and Medicare is scarce in our marginalized community and minority communities, right now. So, we’re being very intentional with this conference to bring in people to give us the best education that we can,” said Markyel Pittman, program manager for the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health. This year’s keynote speaker was journalist Roland Martin, who was chosen for his national leadership on racial and health equity issues. The free event featured screenings and discussions to improve Black men’s health.
LaTasha Rice, Program Manager, recently appeared on WJTV to spotlight the upcoming Baby and Beyond:
By Minority Health August 14, 2025
A Mommy-to-Be Resource Fair. Expecting mothers and families can look forward to a day filled with free lunch, exciting giveaways, yoga demonstrations, and valuable local resources. With August marking National Breastfeeding Month, the fair will feature special information and support for breastfeeding moms. Don’t mi
By Minority Health July 22, 2025
Back-to-School Supply Drive
By Minority Institute December 10, 2024
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By Minority Institute December 9, 2024
The Institute appreciates WAPT-TV for providing coverage of the Inaugural Teen Summit.
By Minority Institute November 7, 2024
Epidemiologist Warren Jones gave a brief presentation on the health risks of vaping and tobacco to the 7th and 8th grade students.
By Minority Institute October 7, 2024
IAMH Men's Health Program Hosted a Youth Health Rally at Mcevans High School in Shaw, MS on September 27th for tobacco and vaping prevention. Student's were educated on the dangers of smoking tobacco and using vaping devices. Students were given a brief presentation about smoking and preventive health by IAMH Epidemiologist Warren Jones and Mcevans High School students.
By Minority Institute October 2, 2024
Our program specialist Mrs. Joyce Roundtree-McCoy did an awesome job spreading the word about the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) program. For more information watch the interview or email jrmccoy@advancingminorityhealth.org .  The full video story can be viewed here .
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Introduction to IAMH with 
Dr. Melvin

We offer community-based strategies to increase awareness and reduce health disparities.

The Institute was established in 2019 to reduce health disparities among disadvantaged and underserved minority populations in the southern region through program development and implementation, training and technical assistance, organizational capacity building, grant writing and evaluation. The areas covered by the Institute include all 82 counties of Mississippi. We offer full portfolio of health resources that provide a wide array of services, to help reduce health disparities within our community. With our expertise and extensive knowledge and skillset, we improve health outcomes for the underserved and disadvantage throughout the State of Mississippi.

IAmH Partners

The Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health is committed to working with likeminded organizations and agencies dedicated to improving the health of Mississippians.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recognizes The Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health as a Section 501(c)(3) public charity. Our Federal Tax ID Number is 83-4631016. Contributions to The Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health may be eligible for a tax deduction in the U.S.A., please consult your tax advisor for eligibility. No goods or services will be offered or provided in exchange for this contribution.