Promotoras Training Manuals
Working with community-based organizations, HIA has identified a gap in the current promotoras/es training materials. There are many agencies and organizations in the U.S. in general and California in particular that work with promotoras/es, but generally their curricula does not focus on health conditions and healthy habits in the context of migration. There is a need to supplement the often biomedical-model information with unifying sociologically-based materials that provide a context for the experience of disease and health within the migration process. HIA has thus far developed three training manuals on mental health, occupational health and safety, and sexual and reproductive health of migrant women to address this lack.
In the manuals, special attention is devoted to health problems experienced by migrants and immigrants, community health issues, and experiences in seeking services within health care systems and bureaucracies in both countries. These training manuals are pilot tested in California among promotoras/es identified by existing promotoras/es networks. Examples of such networks include Líderes Campesinas and the Community Health Worker/Promotoras Project. The manuals are distributed to promotoras/es in both California and Mexico during promotoras/es training sessions.
Binational Health Week
This year, the Ninth BHW will take place October 3-15, 2009 in 40 states in the U.S. and 3 provinces in Canada, with the participation of the consular networks of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Additionally, during BHW five national campaigns will be implemented to promote awareness among the underserved Latino community on H1N1 Influenza, Prevention of Addictions, Nutrition, Prevention of Strokes, and Living Green.
More information about BHW events