Monday, February 5, 2007

Greg Brandenburg, Executive Director

Columbia Basin Health Association

140 E. Main

Othello, WA 99344

Dear Mr. Brandenburg:

On behalf of Farmworker Health Services, Inc in Washington DC, I am pleased to inform you that your organization was selected for the 2007 Sister Cecilia B. Abhold Award for Excellence in Outreach in the Western stream.

Sr. Cecilia B. Abhold was the first and founding Executive Director for Farmworker Health Services, Inc. (FHSI).  Until her passing in May 2000, she remained a strong and integral part of FHSI’s avowed dedication and innovation to improving the quality of life of our nation’s farmworkers.  In her honor, FHSI annually presents the Sister Cecilia B. Abhold Award to a Migrant/Community Health Center or Migrant Voucher Program in each of the three migrant streams.

Columbia Basin Health Association (CBHA) was selected as the recipient in the Western stream because of its exemplary service to farmworkers.  Some of the highlights in your outreach program that were notable to the selection committee are highlighted below:

• In regards to community outreach and delivery, your program area serves farmworkers at three different sites in a three county area.  In 2005, your organization served approximately 10,000 farmworkers—50% of the patient total served.  The interdisciplinary outreach team includes health educators, a public health nurse, a nutritionist, social workers, community health workers and case managers and places emphasis on the following outreach efforts: patient benefits, health education/prevention and patient support.
• As part of your community relations efforts your program has formal and informal relations with local service providers and other organizations including migrant day care centers, local health departments, school districts, low-income housing, domestic violence agencies, food banks, law enforcement, churches, and job training programs amongst others.  Your program partners with a local radio station to do a once-a-week one-hour health education broadcast on a variety of health topics and invites its community partners to provide information on services they provide as well.
• To be accountable to the farmworker community, your program has actively recruited farmworkers to serve on the Board of Directors—currently 3 of your 11 Board members are farmworkers and they have helped to develop several farmworker-friendly policies and procedures within the health center.  In addition, your program routinely seeks farmworkers’ input via surveys and focus group discussions which have helped to improve services for meeting the needs of farmworkers.
• To facilitate organizational integration of the outreach program, your organization has incorporated specialty care services, including behavior health services to expand critically needed services beyond the primary health care focus.  Leadership at your organization recognizes that farmworkers may not follow up with referrals due to the many barriers they face.  Recently, your organization integrated the deliver of medications with transportation services by enabling its drivers to take medication to families who would otherwise have a hard time picking them up at the health center.
• As part of your commitment to cultural and linguistic competence, your organization actively recruits bilingual/bicultural staff and 60% of the current staff are bilingual in English and Spanish.  At least one staff member is trilingual in English, Spanish and Mixteco to deal with the recent influx of Mixteco-speaking farmworkers to the area.  The Board recently approved the development of a diversity committee to provide ongoing oversight regarding the appropriateness of educational and promotional materials and to provide recommendations on ways to improve key farmworker access points including the phone systems, the reception area, billing, etc.

We at FHSI congratulate you and your organization for the commendable efforts that you put forth to improve the lives of farmworkers in your community.  Please feel free to use this letter as a letter of support from FHSI for any future grant applications to support your farmworker outreach efforts.  As well, please note that your organization will be a key feature in the 2007 Innovative Outreach Practices Report.

Best of luck and continued success in the future!

Warm Regards,

Oscar C. Gomez,

Executive Director