Family Health Centers, in partnership with Mid-Valley Hospital and Okanogan County Public Health, have formed a consortium to provide health education and outreach to the migrant and seasonal farmworker population in Okanogan County.
     The agencies have a long history of working together to provide services to the clients they share, according to an announcement from Family Health Centers.
     An existing task force program, La Futura Mama y Su Salud (The Mother to be and Her Health), has provided outreach services to the Latino community and received funding that will end in June 2007.
     The new grant award will enable Family Health Centers and its partners to continue existing programs and to provide new and expanded health outreach services, the announcement continued.
     Mid-Valley Hospital is enthusiastic to provide the resources and experience to continue providing cultural competency training and assist with radio health education, according to the announcement.
     Okanogan County Public Health will provide health care expertise.
     The three year grant includes $144,887 the first year, $113,077 the second and $99,693 the third.
     "Through this grant, staff will help develop and implement programs so that health education can be taken to the orchards, agricultural camps and other community events and locations," according to the announcement.
     The program also allows the agencies to develop and broadcast education programs through a local Spanish language radio station, provide childbirth education by a bilingual certified LaMaze instructor, and train health care providers and others in the community in cultural competency related to health care, the announcement continued.
     More information is available from Miguel Cortez, outreach coordinator at Family Health Centers, 422-7611, or Heather Findlay, 422-7675.