Latino Community Outreach

Resources

Free health clinics across the state

Experiences to Share

Materials
Key to Latino Community outreach in all counties is having material in Spanish. Brochures are left at tiendas/stores (Granville, Onslow), restaurants (Alexander), at cultural festivals (Halifax, Cleveland), at local flea markets (Orange), at other agencies (Scotland, Chatham) and as part of presentations at Community Meetings and housing areas (Columbus).

The importance of interpreters
Having a Spanish interpreter was also important in Latino Outreach (Person, McDowell, Polk, Robeson)

We previously had limited outreach activity to the Latino population due to language barriers. The agency now has on staff a bilingual translator who can assist with applications and information needed to promote outreach for the Latino Population.
-- Annie Locklear, Scotland County

We have an interpreter in our migrant program. The interpreter works with migrant families who may have eligible children.
-- Virginia Bailey, Perquimans County

With LICC, we found interpreters to serve at the county baby fair.
-- Joan Keuper, Rutherford County

There are 2 positions at the Partnership devoted to this outreach. They contact Spanish-speaking parents of newborns who do not have insurance and help them complete applications. They complete "New Parent Packets" with essential information. They are involved in promoting HC/NCHC at the annual "Festival Latino" as well as local health fairs, activities targeting Hispanic persons, etc. They have been featured in the Spanish newspaper, "Mundo Latino," and on Hispanic radio stations. They use a real grass roots approach to contact potential applicants and to work with community organizations.
-- Beth Bowen, New Hanover County

Health fairs and programs
Health fairs were a great avenue for distributing information (Forsyth, Jackson).

Parents and children are bused in to a central location and we provide quick screening. Information is distributed to each parent.
-- Michelle Frizzell, Jackson County

We enjoy doing Health Fairs in our Community such as Family Fun Day or Minority Health Fair at our local Community Development Center.
-- Wilma Young, Haywood County

We conduct outreach at the Dental Health Fair at the new dental clinic in Yadkin County.
-- Lisa Reece, Yadkin County

We have partnered with the Orange County Health Education and Promotion Division to present a program about HC/NCHC to a Lay Health Promoter's class.
-- Darrell Renfroe, Orange County

We are working closely with our Farmworker Health Program director and this had been very beneficial in reaching our Latino population. Application packets are provided to the director to give to families with eligible children.
-- Detha Shepherd, Alleghany County

We are working with a Success by Six pilot project to screen children for developmental delays and make appropriate referrals.
-- Maria Eason, Wake County

Other tips
Partnerships are key to many counties successes.

We are establishing a work group to address Latino Community needs and communicate program requirements.
-- Amy Williams, Dare County

We are working through a Hispanic minister at the Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association.
-- Sheila Wellmon and Anne Short, Cleveland Co.

We conduct outreach through Catholic Social Services and at churches with services offered in Spanish. This population trusts the faith community.
-- Harriett Marlor, Buncombe County

Maps

Map of Percent of NC Poulation that is Hispanic or Latino by Census Block

Reports

1. Latino Health Task Force Report: 2003
From NC Institute of Medicine

2. NC Covering Kids: A Retrospective

(Below are excepts from the Latino Outreach efforts of Forsyth County. For additional ideas, see Overall Lessons & Conclusions)

Engage community-based organizations (CBOs)
Initially, CBOs were reluctant to work with us on this initiative. It was after staff attended Hispanic Services Coalition meetings and built relationships that organizations participated.

Have appropriate materials
Creating materials was very time-consuming, e.g., getting agreement on the key pieces that should be developed and on the wording. Materials must be culturally sensitive and meaningful, not merely direct translations. Paying attention to correct punctuation and wording is critical so that the intended message is conveyed.

Useful materials/tools
A letter of support from the Governor's Office on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, the Spanish brochure and fact sheet produced by the State/NCHSF, a poster with a tear-off information piece (available from "Insure Kids Now" and the INS's publication "A Quick Guide to 'Public Charge' and Receipt of Public Benefits"

Next time

• We would once again work with community-based organizations that are trusted by those in the Hispanic/Latino community and can offer children's health insurance in conjunction with other services that may be useful to families. (To speed the introduction process, we would have someone with a Hispanic/Latino background who is known and respected by the CBOs make the initial contact.)
  
  
• We would scale back on our expectations of the CBOs so they could focus on outreach and referral.
  
  
• We would find an alternative way to provide Spanish-speaking application assistance and follow through. We feel that if this approach is to be effective, the family should be referred by the CBO staff (known and reliable resource) to the application assister.
  
  
• The application assister should: have a Hispanic/Latino background/be fluent in Spanish; be available to families at times that are convenient to them; view this role as an essential part of his or her job; and be adequately compensated.
  
  
• We would complement the person-to-person outreach approach by airing on Hispanic/Latino station radio ads created specifically for this population by NCHSF.
  
  
• We'd target families of Hispanic/Latino children through schools and childcare initiatives using culturally appropriate materials that refer to a bilingual resource line, and through providers who serve a large number of Hispanic/Latino families.