Latino Health Initiative: A Model for Change

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• Latino Health Initiative A Model for Change
• Diego Uriburu M.S., Co-Chair
• Latino Health Steering Committee of Montgomery
  County

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Background

• Rapid growth of Latino community
• Little systematic information on morbidity,
  mortality, and access to services
• No central unit to handle Latino health issues
  and concerns
• Mobilization of Latino leaders in other areas

3
Mission of the LHI

• To improve the quality of life of Latinos
  living in Montgomery County by contributing to
  the development and implementation of an
  integrated, coordinated, culturally and
  linguistically competent health wellness system
  that supports, values, and respects Latino
  families and communities

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Composition of the LHI

• Staff from MC DHHS (7)
• Steering Committee (12-15)
• Local CBOs
• Academic Institutions
• National Organizations
• Community Activists
• Health Promoters

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Meaningful Community Participation

• Orientation prior to participation
• Meeting hours convenient to the community
• All documents are translated into Spanish and
  English
• Professional language interpretation at all
  meetings
• Request specific input

6
Blueprint Priority Areas

• Data
• Access to Care
• Cultural and Linguistic Competency
• Organizational Capacity
• Community Participation
• Health Promotion/Disease Prevention
• Latino Health Professionals

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Overcoming Obstacles

• Earning Trust/Transparency
• Working for a common goal
• Distribution of workload
• Provide necessary support to enhance
  participation
• Understanding players motivations
• Balancing acts

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FROM BLUEPRINT TO ACTION
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LHI Major Programs Activities
Special Projects Cancer Survey Asthma
Management Cultural Competency Emergency
Preparedness

• Information
• Presentations at Professional events
• Webpage
• Media
• Annual Report
• Special Events
• Spanish Language Materials

Steering Committee (Advocacy Policy) Data
Workgroup Health Professions WG Leadership and
Advocacy
Programs Cancer Health Promoters Foreign-Traine
d Nurses Pilot Program Latino Youth
Wellness Navigator/Interpreter
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Broad Reach of LHI Projects Examples

• Cancer program trained 50 Health Promoters and
  provided cancer education to 6,487 Latinos in 4
  years.
• Latino Youth Wellness program surveyed more than
  1,000 youth, and provided 6,500 hours of service
  to more than 200 families in the past 2.5 years.
• System Navigator/Interpreter Program provided
  assistance to over 4,500 callers seeking health
  services and provided over 3,200 medical
  interpretation sessions.
• Health promoters assisted over 700 families to
  access MCHP and Care for Kids.
• Established partnership with Montgomery College,
  local hospitals, and the Workforce Development
  Board to incorporate foreign-trained Latino
  nurses into the workforce.

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Community Forum

• County Council and County DHHS listen and respond
• County and CBOs health promoters present
  testimony and popular theater to county officials
  regarding issues
• Individual cases resolved
• Public pressure on DHHS for systemic change

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Challenges

• Intentionality and follow-through to fully
  incorporate community representatives on the LHI
  and other public/private bodies
• Creating ways of working that ensure on-going
  community accountability on the part of the
  Department of Health and Human Services
• Balance between taking on projects as the LHI and
  advocating and pressuring for other DHHS entities
  to provide access to the Latino community in
  their service and program work

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Major Accomplishments

• Raised awareness about Latino health issues.
• United voice on Latino health.
• Community directly involved in identifying and
  resolving problems.
• Ability to leverage funds and other resources.
• Developed programs in response to community
  needs.