| Somos Seguridad | Somos Salud |
"Somos Seguridad," is a project initiated thanks to the generosity of the Community Foundation of Dutchess County. Somos Seguridad consolidates many practical legal issues surrounding the immigrant population in our region.
Through Somos Seguridad some promoters referred people to the Northeast Community Center in Millerton and helped complete tax/ and ITINs #. The community promoters worked with immigrants, completing IRS paperwork, advised them on how to open bank accounts, helped obtain proper identification (passports of Consular Registration) from their countries of origin.
In addition, Somos Seguridad had a series of presentations that will help decipher some legal issues such tenant's rights, workers rights and working conditions, personal and community safety and financial safety. SLF collaborates with local banks, police departments, and other non-profits in the area to further this project.
Some of the topics presented at the informational forums were:
SAFETY AT HOME: Tenants rights, rent & home Insurance, fire and hazards at home.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION: Personal Finances: Smart Money, how to recognize different types of financial institutions, how to choose the right bank for savings and loans, bank terminology; identify different types of bank accounts, bank security tips for debit cards.
SAFETY AT WORK: Workers rights and safe working conditions, working in the USA, advise to immigrants how to protect themselves from unscrupulous employers.
SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY: talk about Immigration. Talk about Secure Communities, What to do in case of Deportation and how to prepare for a possible immigration reform.
In the 5 months of this initial phase of the project we served more than 190 residents of the area, who attended informational forums, did taxes and got their Individual Tax Identification number (ITIN).
This program was a proven success and SLF is looking forward replicating it on other locations in the near future.
Somos Salud Program (We Are Health)
Beginning of Somos Salud
In the fall of 2008 we designed and initiated our first leadership project, "Somos Salud." This collaborative project was possible to the contribution of United Way of Dutchess County and involved several organizations located in NE Dutchess County: Northeast Community Center, Rural and Migrant Ministry, Grace Episcopal Church and Dutchess, Migrant Health Promotion and County Community Action Partnership.
The objective of this collaboration was to train a group of 15 community health promoters (CHPs) to help direct health services to their Hispanic neighbors of NE Dutchess. A Spanish directory of Health Resources available in the community was developed in order to assist the promoters and their families. Initially our CPHs received more than 20 hours of training on health issues that impacted their daily lives. Issues like Lyme Diseases, pesticides, childhood obesity, occupational hazards of farm workers and Sexual transmitted diseases.
"Our CHP's of NE Dutchess County from Dover Plains, Amenia, Millerton, Pine Plains, Stanford and Millbrook are helping families and friends by providing pertinent information about health, as well as sharing with them contact information about organizations that provide health and social services. The Hispanic community feels supported and understood when vital information is passed along by people who speak their own language and are trusted members of their own community. Our promoters themselves know of the barriers that the immigrant community has to face: social isolation, lack of transportation, limited knowledge of English and reading and writing skills in either language, the vulnerability of their legal/immigration status, racial and social discrimination, and the complexities of the American health system. Somos Salud breaks traditional ways of outreach to the community, replacing print and other media forms with trusted face-to-face contact."
Somos Salud and Reproductive Health
In April, 2009, Planned Parenthood Mid-Hudson Valley took great interest on our CHP's model. We started collaboration with PPMHV working with our 21 CHP's of NE Dutchess and we were able to replicate this model in Sullivan County. Now we have 7 CHP's from South Fallsburg, Loch Sheldrake, Woodridge, Monticello, and Liberty helping family and friends access resources, empowering them with information. Through this partnership our promoters disseminated information, promoted reproductive health services available through PPMHV that include but are not limited to FREE HPV vaccine, FREE rapid HIV testing (off-site), FREE emergency contraception, HIV/STI testing and more.
Somos Salud and Obesity and Diabetes
Working together with Eastern Dutchess County Rural Health Network, "Somos Salud" continues to grow and strengthen well into 2010. We have recently vaccinated the population for H1N1 and began an initiative to combat obesity and diabetes.
Somos Salud and Development Check Up of Children
In February 2010, with funding provided by the United Way of Dutchess County and in collaboration with Astor Services we started the Development Check-Up Program. Through this collaboration Astor Services will train Somos Salud promoters how to use questionnaires to families with children from 2 months until 5 years old. Our CHPs will begin screening the population for early childhood development disorders in areas of communication, gross and fine motor skills, problem solving and personal/social. The CHP's will give some recommendations of activities to the parents or caregivers. They will learn about important milestones in the physical, mental, and social development of their children. If a child presents concerns, he or she is referred to early intervention program or to the especial education services in their school district.
Parents, grandparents and caregivers will learn about the impact they have in their children's learning long before they get to school. There will be circle of support and an opportunity to discuss concerns and tips. To encourage reading and literacy, families will be informed about the use of their local library.
With contributions from United Way of Dutchess County, the Foundation for Community Health, Community Foundation of Dutchess County, Planned Parenthood Mid-Hudson Valley and the Eastern Dutchess County Rural Health Network, we have provided our CHPs with 40 hours of training and we now have a working force of 26 CHPs who are disseminating information to their client families and learning how to track health outcomes for over 300 Hispanics in 5 communities of NE Dutchess County.
Our vision is to achieve a social transformation of the immigrant communities by empowering, building leadership, nurturing our diversity and working for the recognition of our human rights through education and action.
We will continue to strengthen and improve this network by building their capacity of leadership and knowledge of planning, reporting, and evaluation, systematization, speaking in public and fostering a sense of social volunteerism. We will continue to engage their services in advising their families about available services in the region, screening for early childhood developmental delays and in the dissemination of information about Planned Parenthood's services.
Our Community Health Promoters (CHPs)
From Zaida Chasi, Sullivan County Somos Salud program coordinator:
This pilot program has been training a group of leaders to be community health promoters (CHPs) and to utilize what they have learned to improve health in their communities. Our promoters serve as a bridge to the agencies providing services and direct clients to the most appropriate person and also serve as an educational resource to the Hispanic community. Promoters generously volunteer what time they can, but whenever granting agencies provide for a stipend we find it allows the promoters to expand their involvement. For the past seven months we have been meeting with 7 promoters that are committed to the Somos Salud program. In September 2009, Planned Parenthood of Mid Hudson Valley provided 25 hours of training in Spanish covering HIV, STD's, and Family Planning. Over the past 5 months the CHPs has been disseminating PPMHV information and meeting with the coordinator to learn more about the community resources in their area.
Lack of English language fluency has not been a barrier in their continuing education and contribution to the community. They are very happy to be part of the Somos Salud Program. They have been active in the community while spreading awareness of the program.
They talk to people about Family Planning, STD's, Emergency Contraception, HIV/Aids test, HVP vaccination and more. In addition, they assist families filling out paperwork, referrals, provide occasional emergency transportation, etc. At Christmas time they delivered gifts to families in need. We are encouraging families to participate in the Census and assisting them with the forms.
Our promoters:
Ana L. lives in Woodridge. She is the mother of three wonderful children, all boys and married to Roberto who has been very supportive. Ana is the leader of the group and is always taking the initiative on learning new things and wanted to do more in the community. Ana has been involved in many other programs in the Fallsburg District and is well known.
Manuel M. resides in South Fallsburg and lives with his wife Darlene in Beverly Garden Apartments. Manuel is known in his community as the guy who gives a hand when needed, especially when transportation is needed in an emergency. He is always there for the needy. Manuel is always cheerful and makes people laugh. He keeps everyone's spirits up even when the clients are facing tough situations.
Rodrigo G. lives in Monticello with his wife Laura and 7 year old daughter. Rodrigo at first appears quiet and timid but is very attentive and is always ready with good comments and suggestions.
Adriana L. lives in Loch Sheldrake, with her parents, two sisters and a brother. She recently graduated from Sullivan County Community College in the class of 2010. She is our computer expert and created the video clip of the Sullivan County Somos Salud promoters. In addition to her involvement with Somos Salud, she recently started a part-time job with the Rural Migrant Ministry assisting the Youth Leadership program in Monticello at St. John's Episcopal Church.
Gabriela Q. is a High School student in Liberty. She is very active assisting others in her church, school and community. She has been in the Rural Migrant Ministry YAG (Youth Arts Group) for over 2 years.
Fausto P. and Maria C. are a couple that moved to Sullivan less than a year ago. They are very interested in learning about the community and educating themselves so they can help others.
SLF is participating and supporting a community effort at the Rhamina Farm located in Amenia, New York. Thanks to the generosity of the Bailey Family, 10 Latino families were given the opportunity to create their first community garden. This pilot program will not only yield fruits and vegetables, but it will also educate residents on eating healthily.
SLF in collaboration with Hudson River Community Health. Is having a vaccination campaign, to Men and Women 18 and over. On July 30th , 2011 at the Amenia office. It will be free of cost and it will include:
- Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination (HPV)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Tetanus, diphtheria and Pertussis (TDAP)