Migrant worker health fair

 

Valley Health Plan partners with community organizations to provide health services to migrant workers in Hollister

Every year thousands of families leave their homes in Arizona, Texas, and Mexico to work the harvest in San Benito County. Whether picking grapes for our favorite wines or the vegetables that keep us healthy, migrant workers play a big role in our harvests. But moving from one town to the next can mean gaps in care and learning.

To close these gaps, San Benito County Public Health, First 5 San Benito County, Southside Elementary School, and other community organizations including Valley Health Plan are teaming up for the first-ever Migrant and Share Resiliency Health Fair.

Located at the Migrant Center in Hollister, the health fair will offer services like free health and dental screenings, newborn observations, and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire.

First 5 San Benito hosts a community health fair every three months, but this is the first held at the Migrant Center. According to Samantha Hernandez, First 5’s Program Director, “the fair will help families get care and give us a chance to tell them about available services.”

For First 5, getting parents to take the Ages and Stages Development Questionnaire is very important. The screening helps make sure children are on track with their brain development. “Children create millions of connections in their brain from birth to 5 years old,” Hernandez said. “If we get kids screened and families connected to services, we can get them ready for kindergarten.”

Free food and fun activities will also be a part of the fair. There will be pinatas for kids and prizes throughout the day. 

Valley Health Plan (VHP) is excited about lending a hand. “We want to make sure families know about their health coverage options," said VHP’s Jessica Macias. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, access to health coverage has gotten better for migrant workers but still many families do not know that their are health plans available for them.

               Event: Migrant and Share Resiliency Health Fair

               Date: Friday, June 24th

               Location: Hollister Migrant Center. 3235 Southside Road, Hollister

               Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

For information call the Migrant Center at (831) 636-4190 or First 5 San Benito at (831) 634-2046.