© 2006 Latino Health Access
1701 N. Main Street, Suite 200
Santa Ana, CA 92706
714-542-7792 Phone
714-542-4853 Fax
©2006 Latino Health Access
Children & Youth Initiative >
Diabetes Self - Management Program for Adults >
Healthy Weight - Peso Saludable >
Elder Health: Cuidar, Puerta a Puerta >
Healthy Eating, Active Communities >
Injury Prevention >
Mental Health: Domestic Violence & Depression >
Civic Engagement - Pasa la Voz
The
Latino Children and Youth Initiative is a health intervention for children
and youth living in high-risk environments. Activities are designed to reduce
health disparities, increase resilience and leadership skills, enlarge the
worldview, strengthen families, improve mental and physical health, and improve
academic performance. Youth Promotores learn about nutrition, physical activity,
injury prevention, mental health, and sibling care. They coordinate and plan
activities after school and in apartment buildings and courtyards. Siblings
and families needing medical or mental health services are referred to the
resources they need.
Service area: 92701 zip code of Santa Ana.
This
12-week, award-winning program achieves statistically significant improvements
in blood sugar and cholesterol levels, in the hands of Promotores. The program
engages participants in an interactive and experiential exploration of diabetes
self-management. The group meets for two hours each week. The program includes
a visit with a registered dietitian, ophthalmologist, and podiatrist, and
a glucose meter for each participant. The focus is on overcoming psychological
and access barriers to disease management, learning about diet and physical
activity, how to monitor blood sugar, and the meaning of common blood level
measures.
The Healthy Weight program for children consists of six to eight classes
for overweight children and their parents. Children and their families learn about nutrition and physical activity. Practical ways to reduce barriers to healthy weight for families who live in overcrowded neighborhoods with few resources are emphasized. A follow up component of weekly exercise classes is offered for all graduating children.
Service Area: Santa Ana.
Care, Door to Door
Highly trained Promotores conduct door-to-door outreach to adults ages 60 and over and conduct assessments and referrals to link older individuals with necessary aging services. They conduct educational sessions on disease self-management and on a wide range of prevention topics including nutrition, physical activity, mental health, and falls prevention.
Latino Health Access, Santa Ana Unified School District , and the Orange County
Health Care Agency are implementing a Healthy Eating, Active Communities Initiative
in Santa Ana . Many collaborative partners have joined the effort to work
toward environmental changes that will increase the quality of life for the
children of central Santa Ana . We are pursuing various multi-level policy
changes in schools, after school programs, health care, neighborhoods, and
media. Policy changes will be made that increase children's access to nutritious
food options and safe areas for physical activity.
Certified child passenger safety technicians conduct platicas in Spanish to inform parents of low-income children ages 0-5 about car safety. S ession include hands-on training on the use of appropriate car seats, a review of California laws concerning child passengers, and practical tips to make the child comfortable while maintaining optimum safety. Promotores answer common questions about safety and address barriers to using car seats. At the end of each discussion, participants arrange a car seat installation appointment wherein technicians provide personalized analysis and instruction on car seat installation. Participants practice until they have successfully installed a car seat in their cars, at which time they receive the car seat at no cost.
Promotores engage the community, families and individuals in addressing domestic
violence. The program focuses on increasing awareness and changing community
norms and providing assistance for those struggling with these issues. Promotores
host Spanish language support groups for Domestic Violence and Depression.
Men approach men and encourage them to enter drug and alcohol recovery programs.
Women approach women to address issues of safety and quality of life. The
specially trained promotores meet regularly with a psychologist for case reviews.
Individuals needing extra assistance are referred to community mental health
providers.
Limited resources, lack of knowledge about the political process and a history
of disengagement from government have kept many community voices out of decision-making
arenas. Increasing the civic engagement of Santa Ana 's Latino community
is critical if there is to be any large-scale political change regarding quality
of life and health issues facing the community. Pasa la Voz offers
trainings and presentations to community residents of all ages regarding how
they can affect policy changes in their community. Monthly platicas,
or discussions, with government elected and appointed officials engage
community residents in various policy discussions that affect them.
Together, the various components of this program work to foster both a sense
of civic engagement as well as increased political participation in Santa
Ana .
