Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Robert Zimmerman dropped by the hospital of Sharon Regional Health System and Minority Health Advocacy Committee in Farrell on Friday during a visit to the northwest region of the state.

One of his reasons for visiting was the $250,000 grant Minority Health recently received from the Department of Health to implement programs, including one on heart health at four Farrell churches.

Minority Health Coordinator Olive Brown said they were not expecting to get that much money.

"We did not know we had $250,000. We were very thankful to get that," she said.

The grant was one of six community-health grants recently awarded throughout the state to address minority health issues.

"I just wanted to visit with you and see how things are going," Zimmerman told the gathering at Minority Health, which consisted of local politicians, physicians, pastors and members of Endorse Resistance of All Substance Abuse Everywhere and members of Weed and Seed.

Statistics show minority communities have higher rates of health problems.

In April, the Department of Health released the "Special Report on the Health Status of Minorities in Pennsylvania," which is the state's first analysis of the minority population's higher disease rates. The report can be viewed at the department's Web site, www.health.state.pa.us

Zimmerman said there is a huge discrepancy between the minority population and the white population in leading causes of death. According to the report, the black population in Mercer County has much higher rate of deaths from lung cancer and breast cancer than the white population.

Basically, the project is all about finding a root cause for the health problems in the community, Zimmerman said.

One thing that would help eradicate health problems in the community is a smoking cessation and prevention program.

"Tobacco is the only legal product that, when used as intended, kills you," Zimmerman said, adding that cigarette advertisers are now targeting African Americans, Latinos, women and children. Each year, 63,000 kids take up smoking as a lifelong habit, Zimmerman said.

The department also has programs looking into cardiovascular disease and mental health.

As part of their visit, Zimmerman and his staff toured Sharon Regional's emergency department and Heart Institute. Zimmerman said the diagnostic tools for heart disease are available; now prevention programs must be implemented.