PORTLAND — The Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership recognized four Maine-based organizations and individuals for their outstanding achievements, including the United Somali Woman of Maine. The awards, presented April 16 at the Hanley Center Honors Dinner, honor achievements assuring equitable care for all Mainers.

Lori Alviso Alvord, M.D., a nationally-recognized expert on health disparities and the first Navajo woman to be board-certified in surgery, provided the keynote address.

In addition to the United Somali Woman of Maine, awards were presented to Marjorie Withers, the Maine Migrant Health Program and Waldo County Dental Care.

United Somali Women of Maine is a refugee women-led organization that addresses the health disparities faced by refugee and immigrant women who experience domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence.

The Lewiston-based group provides culturally and linguistically specific services for the refugee and immigrant communities in Maine. Services include system advocacy in regards to access to services and service delivery statewide; and provides education and training and post resettlement services in Androscoggin and Cumberland counties.

Withers, who lives in Washington County, developed and began directing the Community Caring Collaborative, a Washington county-wide, 40-member collaborative for agencies, organizations and community initiatives to create a seamless system of care for at risk infants and young children.

The Maine Migrant Health Program is the state’s farmworker health organization and links migrant and seasonal agricultural workers to care and services to reduce health disparities and inequities of access for this work force.

Waldo County Dental Care is a collaborative effort of Waldo County General Hospital and private dentists in the Waldo County area to address the health disparity in dental care for low income and uninsured individuals in their community.

The Hanley Center, an independent, nonprofit organization based in Portland, is working to better understand and address health equity and health disparities in Maine. For more information about the center, call 533-98576 or go to www.hanleyleadership.org.