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Grantees Address Racial and Geographic Health Disparities

TCWF provided a two-year, $400,000 grant for core operating support to Su Salud to allow it to expand its services, which include weight reduction, smoking cessation and nutrition classes; health education exhibits and video displays; diabetes, blood pressure, cancer and dental disease screenings and education; HIV and STD prevention; and mental health counseling.

Su Salud also uses mass media as a way to reach people who may be geographically isolated. Volunteer doctors host a weekly health call-in radio show broadcast from Su Salud. Additionally, Su Salud runs paid and public service health educational messages on the local Univisión television affiliate; produces a disease prevention-focused television show on public access cable, which airs three times a week; and runs weekly columns in The Record and El Sol newspapers on the latest news about disease prevention and health services provided at Su Salud.

“Su Salud began as annual health fair events attended by thousands of people,” said Ruth Holton, TCWF program director. “It established a center because it wanted to provide access to preventive care year-round.”

With support from San Joaquin General Hospital, Su Salud began a new service this past spring that provides health education to workers in the 73 licensed farm labor camps within the county. Su Salud health educators visit the camps in “care vans” with hospital staff who provide health care screenings.

“Bringing health education to the workers is an exciting new step for Su Salud,” Holton said.

Representation in the Health Care Professions

California is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse states in the nation, but this diversity is not reflected among the health care workforce. The health and wellness of underserved people of color is adversely affected by the shortage of diverse health professionals. Having health professionals reflective of the ethnic communities they serve can increase the comfort level of patients and increase the likelihood that their cultural and linguistic needs will be met.

“Research has revealed that physicians, physician assistants and nurses of color are more likely to work in medically underserved communities,” said Alicia Procello, TCWF program director. “We need more [of them] because poor communities of color have the most pronounced shortages of health professionals.”

TCWF provided a two-year, $200,000 grant for core operating support to Health Professions Education Foundation (HPEF), which provides financial assistance to health students throughout California who plan to practice in medically underserved areas.

“Scholarships and loan repayments are a huge incentive for underrepresented providers to bring their cultural and linguistic skills to diverse, underserved rural and urban communities,” said Angela Smith, acting executive director of HPEF.

HPEF identifies candidates for scholarships through college and university financial aid offices and through nursing and allied health organizations.

“Part of TCWF’s core operating grant went to expanding HPEF’s marketing and outreach, but it also went to developing its board and increasing its internal evaluation mechanisms,” Procello said. “We wanted to help solidify the infrastructure to ensure that their work will be sustained for many years to come.”