DALLAS, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pfizer Helpful Answers announces the second year of its partnership with the Dallas Concilio of Hispanic Service Organizations on a Promotores Initiative to help uninsured Latinos in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area gain greater access to critical health resources, including prescription medicines. Through the Initiative, Pfizer is sponsoring a community health worker (or promotora) who will focus on educating uninsured Hispanics and their advocates about resources available to them -- including patient prescription assistance programs like Pfizer Helpful Answers.

"Community health workers are bridging the gap between Latinos and access to health care, particularly for those who are uninsured," said Florencia Velasco Fortner, president and CEO of the Dallas Concilio of Hispanic Service Organizations. "With the support from Pfizer Helpful Answers, we have been able to provide needed health education and resources to our disenfranchised communities both with human capital and affordable prescriptions. We are proud of our partnership, which has strengthened our overall health programming, and we are grateful for Pfizer's continued support."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the country - nearly one out of every four Texans (24%) is uninsured -- over 5.5 million people -- When the Hispanic population alone is considered, more than half (58%) of the Hispanic population in Texas is uninsured. More than 330,000 of the uninsured are in the Dallas-Ft. Worth-Arlington area.

The Dallas Concilio community health worker plays a critical role in promoting community-based health education by providing culturally sensitive information and services. The promotora also acts as a bridge between health care institutions, professional providers, other healthcare resources and community residents in need of assistance with their health care . A special focus of the Promotores Initiative is to connect those without prescription drug coverage and in need of medicines to Pfizer Helpful Answers and other industry programs that provide access to prescriptions medicines for free or at a savings.

This is the second year of Pfizer's sponsorship of the Dallas Concilio Promotores Initiative and the support will help the Dallas Concilio to continue its community health outreach initiative for the uninsured. Since its inception in 2007, the Dallas Concilio Promotores Initiative has reached hundreds of patients and educated over 1,200 community service providers about the program.

"Pfizer Helpful Answers is dedicated to helping people without prescription coverage get the medicines they need," said Gary Pelletier, Director of Pfizer Helpful Answers. "Our partnership with the Dallas Concilio is unique. The Promotores Initiative enables us to reach out to the community at a level where our prescription assistance program is most needed. We are excited and proud to continue these efforts considering the increasing rates of the uninsured, especially among Hispanics."

For more information or to apply to the Pfizer Helpful Answers program, call toll free 1-866-706-2400 or visit http://www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com . Information is available in English and Spanish. Pfizer also participates in the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a single point of access to more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs. For more information on this program, visit http://www.pparx.org or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW.

About Pfizer Helpful Answers
Pfizer Helpful Answers is a family of programs that helps people without prescription coverage save on many Pfizer medicines, no matter their age or income. People with limited income may qualify to get their Pfizer medicines for free. For information, call 1-866-706-2400 to speak with a live Pfizer Helpful Answers operator, in English or Spanish, or go to http://www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com . Pfizer Helpful Answers is a joint program of Pfizer Inc and the Pfizer Patient Assistance Foundation.

About Pfizer's Commitment to Access
Pfizer is committed to helping America's uninsured get access to Pfizer medicines. In the past 5 years alone (2002-2006), Pfizer has helped more than 5 million patients receive more than 49 million Pfizer prescriptions for free or at a savings. This equates to nearly $4 billion worth of free medicines and savings. Research conducted by Roper Public Affairs for Pfizer suggests that improving access to medicines through programs like Pfizer Helpful Answers may encourage uninsured Americans to be more proactive about their overall health.