October 5, 2007

Dear Migrant Health Colleague,

Based on our findings from the 2005-06 National Needs Assessment of
Farmworker-Serving Organizations, Farmworker Health Services, Inc. is
collecting resources and information on the following topics in order
to improve outreach to farmworkers: transportation solutions,
appropriately responding to indigenous farmworkers, and effectively
using or participating in farmworker coalitions. We know that there
are many organizations out there in addition to the ones we have
identified already that have implemented effective solutions and
models. And so would like to learn more and share information such
as successes, best practices and concrete advice.

If you and your organization have experience in addressing any of
these issues at your organization and would be willing to talk with
me in greater detail, I would appreciate it. Please contact me off-
line by Friday, October 12 and I will follow up with you shortly
after. kristie@...

I have posed some questions below to give you an idea of the kinds of
information we would like to discuss with you and share with other
farmworker-serving organizations (with your permission).

Transportation

1. Does your organization provide transportation to your
farmworker patients or some means to ensure that they can get to/from
appointments?
2. What are some of the challenges you have faced in ensuring
transportation for farmworkers? How have you dealt with them?
3. What has worked well in terms of transportation options at
your health center and why?
4. What has NOT worked and why?
5. What advice would you give another health center that would
like to provide or ensure that farmworkers have transportation
options for getting/to from appointments?

Farmworker Coalitions

1. Does your organization participate in or serve as the lead
organization in a farmworker coalition?
2. What have been your coalition's successes to date?
3. What have been the key elements that sustain your coalition's
ability to make positive change in your community?
4. What have been your challenges and how have you addressed
them?
5. What advice do you have for other health centers that would
like to start or get involved in a farmworker coalition?

Serving Indigenous Farmworkers

1. Has your organization seen an increase in the arrival of
indigenous farmworkers to your community?
2. What has your organization done to be responsive to the
unique needs of this subset of the farmworker population?
3. Have these strategies worked and why?
4. What have been some challenges you've faced in trying to
effectively reach out to this population? How has your organization
addressed these challenges and have you been successful?
5. What advice would you have for a health center that would
like to improve its ability to respond appropriately to the needs of
indigenous farmworkers?

Thank you very much for your assistance and I look forward to hearing
from you soon!

Kristie McComb

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Kristie McComb, MPH
Project Manager
Farmworker Health Services, Inc.
1221 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 5
Washington DC 20005

tel: 202-347-7377
fax: 202-347-6385
www.farmworkerhealth.org

Executive Office:
405 14th Street, Suite #809
Oakland, CA 94612
tel: 510-268-0091
fax: 510-268-0093