Local health group extends community outreach

A local group is using community outreach to help provide the children and families with immunizations and access to resources - and members and volunteers have hit the streets in order to get the job done.

The Regional Center for Border Health (RCBH) Inc. conducted a six-week door-to-door community census campaign called Nuestros Ninos to identify uninsured children needing immunizations, pregnant women with no prenatal care and other community health issues. Nuestros Ninos is Spanish for "Our Children."

The workers, made up of representatives from RCBH and students from the Yuma Private Industry Council, visited 972 homes in Yuma, Somerton and San Luis. They reached 171 families and assisted 166 children and 361 adults with enrolling in KidsCare and Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) programs, which are Medicaid programs for children and adults in Arizona.

RCBH Office Manager Mariajose Almazan said that "promotoras" or community outreach workers have used this technique for many years, and every year they reach more and more members of the community.

"Most of (the people) don't know what kind of resources are outside for them," Almazan said. "They are very happy to have someone come and visit them and help with anything they might need. ...we're happy to see the numbers are higher."

She said some families might have trouble finding out about resources because of transportation situations, so the door-to-door method is a great way to reach people.

Workers immunized 34 children with a total of 112 vaccines given during the first campaign on July 11 at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Yuma.

At the second event, held at the San Luis Walk-In Clinic, workers vaccinated 115 children with a total of 313 vaccines.

Almazan said they offered a variety of vaccines, including ones that help protect children against measles, mumps, rubella, pneumonia, meningitis, diphtheria and tetanus.

"Depending on their age, we would make sure that they're current," she said.

She said the immunizations were especially important for the upcoming school year.