Recorded presentation

Julie Ann Parrish, MA, MPH¹, Aurelio Martinez, LBSW², Janie Mejia, CHW³, Martha Leos⁴, Rebecca Garza, MEd⁵, Monica L. Wendel, MA, MPH⁶, James N. Burdine, DrPH⁶, Michael R.J. Felix⁷, and Petra Reyna, MEd⁸. (1) Community Health Development Program, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, 701 E. Vermont Avenue, Suite 135, McAllen, TX 78503-1733, (2) Prevention Research Center for Rural Community Health Development, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M University Syste Health Science Center, 701 E. Vermont Ave., McAllen, TX 78503, (3) El Milagro Clinic, 901 E. Vermont Ave., McAllen, TX 78503, 956-664-9416, sjmejia@elmilagroclinic.com, (4) Planned Parenthood Association, 1017 Pecan, McAllen, TX 78501, (5) REACH Promotora Community Coalition, Migrant Health Promotion, P.O. Box 337, Progreso, TX 78579, (6) Community Health Development Program, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M University, 1103 University Drive, Suite 100, College Station, TX 77840, (7) Michael Felix and Associates, Walburt Ave, Allentown, PA 77802, (8) Community Health Development Program, Texas A&M University System School of Rural Public Health, 701 E. Vermont Avenue, Suite 136, McAllen, TX 78503-1733

The Integrated Health Outreach System (IHOS) Project is a $5 million, four-year effort, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration. This project created a proactive public health model that helps colonia residents in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in South Texas to: 1) improve health status; 2) increase access to primary care; and 3) build community capacity.

Community Health Workers (Promotores) from several local agencies play a key role in the IHOS Project. They channel their health education and health promotion knowledge to facilitate effective colonia/service provider relationships. Migrant Health Promotion, an experienced training organization, helps strengthen promotores' knowledge of available resources and outreach strategies. As promotores accomplish positive change in their communities, they use the IHOS Project as a forum for their own professional development. They currently focus on their transition from volunteer status to paid employment and inter-organizational relations.

Bonnie Medina, a certified Community Health Worker in Texas, will present her experiences with the IHOS Project during this session. She brings several years of community outreach experience and impressive leadership skills to the discussion of effective promotores involvement in the health outreach systems.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Describe the major challenges facing promotoras in their communities.
• Identify challenges of co-training of cross-agency community health workers (promotoras).
• Identify strategies for addressing those challenges through a comprehensive training center.

Keywords: Community Health Promoters, Collaboration

Related Web page: www.srph.tamhsc.edu/centers/chd/integrated%20health%20outreach.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation