Health Services

The mission of this component of the Migrant Education Program is four-fold:

• Collaborate with resources in the community to secure the health and well being of migrant students.
• Facilitate locating and securing services for families within their community.
• Provide information to prevent and assist with health related issues.
• Promote and advocate for parent self-sufficiency.

Our goal is that all migrant children attend school regularly and achieve their academic potential unhindered by health issues. The program serves migrant children in San Joaquin County and Contra Costa County. Six health facilitators provide an array of services including:

Facilitate health and supportive services for migrant students Network with health and dental providers Provide translation/transportation on an emergency basis Assessment, access, advocacy and assistance in applying for Health Programs Follow-up with health referrals and support services Centralize health data collection Promote parent/child education on health-related issues.

Dr. Frederick Stellhorn, O.D. attended Jesus Rodriguez, who received a vision exam and glasses through a Vision Service Plan Gift Certificate.

Health facilitators are trained in areas such as Childhood Trauma “Symptoms and Treatment”, California Health and Disability Program CHDP Gateway, “Promotores de Salud”. Including "Survive Outside", a program that uses Making Proud Choices to deliver HIV prevention instruction, West Nile disease and many others.

Health facilitators participate in health fairs at schools and with other community agencies. They also provide workshops or presentations regarding health and nutrition issues for migrant parents and children. Their principle responsibility is to link families to low cost or free medical/dental health services. When this is not possible, migrant education will provide emergency health/dental coverage.

Olivia Ortiz, the regional manager for the componet, oversees the program and coordinates services with medical and dental providers; negotiates fees for health services; provides staff development and training to the health facilitators; and coordinates health fairs within the communities, inviting other agencies like Health Plan of San Joaquin, Blue Cross of San Joaquin, and Kaiser Permanente.

Some of the providers who have donated services to our children are: Daniel Cotton, DDS, of Stockton; Frank Chen, DDS of Lodi; Abe Magallanez, OD of Stockton Community Medical Centers; Channel Medical in Stockton; and Woodbridge Medical in Lodi . These are only a few of the many, many doctors, dentists and other health care professionals who have extended their services to our migrant children.