Office of Minority Health

Grantee Information

Migrant Health Promotion, Inc. (MHP)
437 S. Texas Blvd.
Weslaco, TX 78596-6259
800-461-8394 X 1004 (Phone)

Migrant Health Promotion, Inc. (MHP) is a nonprofit organization that works to achieve health equity within farm worker communities. Utilizing the Promotoro/a model, MHP provides culturally-appropriate health education and outreach and sustainable community development to farm worker, migrant, border and/or other underserved or isolated communities throughout the nation. Through increased knowledge and skill building, individuals and families can be empowered to maintain healthy lifestyles.

Grant Project Information

Increasing Access to Care Through Community Health Worker Programs
Length of Project: 9/1/12-8/31/15
Annual Funding Level: $200,000
Project Director: Colleen Reinert
704-352-7029 (Phone)
E-mail: creinert@migranthealth.org

Abstract

Many factors compound poor health for underserved Hispanic populations. In particular, socioeconomic status, lack f accessible health care, deficiency in cultural competency among providers and language barriers present formidable obstacles to a healthy livelihood. However, Community Health Worker (CHW) programs are an ideal strategy for increasing access to care for low-income and underserved minority populations, because CHWs are trained to bring health education directly to community members where they live, work and congregate. This model breaks down silos that otherwise restrict underserved communities from receiving important preventive services. The overall goal of the Migrant Health Promotion, Inc. (MHP) grant project is to improve access to care for underserved, predominately low-income, Hispanic communities by providing training and technical assistance to community-based organizations, health departments and community stakeholders for planning and implementation of CHW interventions.

The target audiences for the project interventions include members of organizational health entities (e.g. clinics, community/faith-based organizations or health departments) across the nation with the long-term outcomes of improved access to care for low-income Hispanic populations. The grantee program strategies primarily pertain to offering T/TA services to health providers and organizations serving minority populations. For example, MHP plans to annually provide T/TA to three CHW programs. Additionally, the grantee will create and/or identify at least 10 different methods to train CHW program staff and CHWs to address health care needs in underserved populations.

The outcome evaluation will focus on tracking the following participant outcomes:

• The number of individuals who have a specific source of ongoing care;
• The improvements to minorities' access to care with a particular focus on rates of low-income Hispanics
• increases in the number of referrals provided by CHWs.

Objective