Promotoras Guide Uninsured Coachella Valley Residents to Heal Services
15/04/2016
When Yesenia Ortiz met Maria, a few years ago, Maria was a short thin woman with dark hair and bright eyes that had started unexpectedly losing a significant amount of weight. At her thinnest, Maria, who was originally 115 pounds went down to 78 pounds. She was also experiencing pain and a burning sensation in her stomach and throat. In addition to worrying about her health, she also worried about being uninsured and not having access to care.
Which is why Ortiz, a certified enrollment counselor for healthcare services in the Eastern Coachella Valley, became so important to Maria. Ortiz helps applicants navigate through the county's complicated process of accessing health care services, something that can be challenging for most people.
However, Ortiz's work is more nuanced than just explaining forms or pointing people to the next line they should stand in. More than just an enrollment officer, Ortiz is also what is known as a promotora and plays an essential role in connecting immigrants with urgent health care services. Promotoras or promotoras de salud (Spanish for health promoter ) are lay health-care advisers, traditionally within Latino communities.
To a large extent, in addition to guiding applicants through the application and enrollment process, the success of promotoras like Yesenia Ortiz relies largely on their cultural sensitivity to the significant Latino population that seek the services. By engendering credibility and trust within the community, their role is not only to give applicants information, but to bridge the needs of applicants with a county system that does not offer much or any assistance.
Ortiz and other members of the team at local non-profit Clinicas Salud Del Pueblo helped Maria enroll into the Medically Indigent Services Program (MISP). While MISP is not an insurance, it is meant to be used on an emergency basis and does not include prenatal, dental, or mental health services for adults between the ages of 21 and 64 and is only accepted at county health centers such as Clinicas Salud Del Pueblo where Ortiz is based.
Clinicas Salud del Pueblo make sure to reach out to residents of the Eastern Coachella Valley across widespread Riverside County. Photo by Paulina Rojas.
The Medically Indigent Services Program, an emergency health services program is geared to some of Riverside County's most vulnerable --low income residents that do not have health insurance coverage -- is particularly mired in complications. Moreover, in counties such as Riverside, MISP is one of the few services available to immigrant workers, including the undocumented. Currently there are 6,680 people enrolled in the program.
Like Maria, the applicants Ortiz works with in the Eastern Coachella Valley are largely immigrants that speak or read little to no English, some can't read or write at all. Some are undocumented and are fearful of exposing themselves to government officials.
Ortiz has witnessed however, that despite these challenges, applicants finally come forward to access services when their health symptoms become intolerable, urgent. Often the process of seeking and acquiring help can seem almost equally unbearable.
I used to cry a lot because I felt like I had nowhere to go Maria said in Spanish. It was very difficult for me, I would always pray and ask god for mercy.
For Maria, having the assistance of experts such as Yesenia, readily available to assist her made experience in getting the care that she needed a lot easier.
Agricultural labor relies on low-wage workers, including undocumented immigrants that are often vulnerable as they are exposed to high-risk environments but do not have access to comprehensive health care.
Ortiz has noticed that like Maria, many of the applicants that she assists in the Eastern Coachella Valley often have difficulties accessing the program due to the fact that they live in isolated and rural communities. Many times, applicants do not have cars and rely on rides or on sparse public transportation.
When applying for MISP here in the valley there is an application issue because most people that are applying to MISP are living in Mecca, Thermal or farther out east, she said.
However, late in 2015 an MISP enrollment officer started going to Mecca on the fourth Monday of every month for a few hours, making it slightly easier for residents to apply and enroll in the program. Before then, most applicants from the east valley would have to travel to Indio to submit their application. While this has helped alleviate those in need, Ortiz says it is not enough.
It would be nice if they had someone there all day, Ortiz said. Clinicas Salud del Pueblo also provides free transportation to any of their sites. All patients have to do is call 24 hours in advance and a van will take them to and from their appointment.
--
--
If needed, members of the outreach team make house calls to help people apply for programs such as MISP.
In addition to lack of transportation potential applicants are often deterred from applying to MISP by the convoluted process and the lack of information about it. Ortiz said that some of the people applying dont know how to read or get easily confused by the complicated vocabulary. Promotoras always suggest that applicants come into the clinic or to call for assistance. This helps eliminate any complications that might come up during the application process.
Also, Ortiz and other Clinicas Salud del Pueblo staff are bilingual. All promotoras on the team speak both English and Spanish. You understand more than the language, it is the culture, Ortiz said. You know where they are coming from.
It's not just a job, we go beyond to see how we can help, we dont just limit ourselv
LINK: | https://www.kcet.org/shows/departures/promotoras-guide-uninsured-coach... |
See more stories from kcet |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
02/05/2024
Samba TV Launches New Generative AI Ad Solution
NEW YORK Samba TV is debuting new capabilities for Samba AI, the company's suite of generative AI technologies. Samba AI's new capabilities provide a re...
02/05/2024
Television Academy Foundation Names Anne Vasquez Executive Director
LOS ANGELES The Television Academy Foundation has announced the appointment of Anne Vasquez as its executive director effective May 13....
02/05/2024
SAG-AFTRA to License Nielsen Streaming Data
NEW YORK SAG-AFTRA has inked a deal with Nielsen to become its third-party provider of streaming content measurement and has announced that it will use the Niel...
02/05/2024
Cineverse Unveils Public Beta of AI-Powered cineSearch
LOS ANGELES Cineverse has debuted cineSearch, its previously announced new content search and discovery service in public Beta....
02/05/2024
Can AI find a way to reduce the broadcast industry's energy consumption?
OpenDrives Trevor Morgan asks if AI has the answer to making data centres for the media and entertainment industry more sustainable By Contributor Published:...
02/05/2024
Bill Baggelaar Asks the Questions: An Unfiltered Look at Media Supply Chain Transformation
Bill Baggelaar Asks the Questions: An Unfiltered Look at Media Supply Chain Tran...
02/05/2024
Two Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards
Two Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions. By...
02/05/2024
Viewers Call Finding New TV Content Frustrating' in Comcast Advertising Report
A majority of viewers 51% said the difficulty in finding new content on TV c...
02/05/2024
Programming Legend Art Moore Retiring After 53 Years With ABC Stations
Art Moore, who headed production of long-running syndicated series, including Live, said he plans to retire in September as VP of programming for WABC New York....
02/05/2024
Nexstar Will Move The CW Affiliation to WGN Chicago
Nexstar Media Group, which owns The CW, said the network's affiliation will be moving to Nexstar-owned WGN Chicago....
02/05/2024
Future Today Puts First Original Shows on Fawesome Channel (NewFronts)
Future Today said that it plans to launch the first original shows on its Fawesome streaming channel....
02/05/2024
Behind the Music' Returns on Paramount Plus
Behind the Music is back on Paramount Plus with new episodes May 1. Those profiled in the season two episodes are Bell Biv DeVoe, Trace Adkins and Wolfgang Van ...
02/05/2024
All American: Homecoming' Returns on The CW July 8
All American: Homecoming starts season three on The CW Monday, July 8, while season two of 61st Street kicks off Monday, July 22....
02/05/2024
Jerry Seinfeld's Pop-Tart Movie Starts on Netflix May 3
Unfrosted, a movie about the race to create a game-changing breakfast pastry, such as, say, the Pop-Tart, debuts on Netflix May 3. Jerry Seinfeld directs, his f...
02/05/2024
Former BT Sport COO Jamie Hindhaugh joins EMG / Gravity Media
Charlie Cubbon has also been appointed chief operating officer By Matthew Corrigan Published: May 2, 2024 Charlie Cubbon has also been appointed chief ope...
02/05/2024
Durable Goods Signs Lionel Coleman
Durable Goods Signs Lionel Coleman Brie Clayton May 2, 2024 0 Comments Durable Goods has signed multi-hyphenate director Lionel Coleman for commercial...
02/05/2024
Hitsujibungaku's Music Video GO!!! Shot by Kyotaro Hayashi with Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K
Hitsujibungaku's Music Video GO!!! Shot by Kyotaro Hayashi with Blackmagic C...
02/05/2024
Diamond Sports RSNs Go Dark On Comcast Systems
Bally Sports Regional Networks were taken off Comcast's systems on April 30 when their existing distribution agreement expired and Diamond Sports Group was ...
02/05/2024
Diamond Sports Group, DirecTV Renew Distribution Deal
SOUTHPORT, Conn. and EL SEGUNDO, Calif. Diamond Sports Group ( Diamond or the Company ) and DirecTV have announced that they have reached a multi-year renewal...
02/05/2024
Three Nexstar Stations to Become CW Affiliates
IRVING, Texas Nexstar Media Group has announced that its owned and operated television stations in Chicago, Illinois (DMA #3), Norfolk, Virginia (DMA #43), and ...
02/05/2024
FCC, FTC Ink Agreement to Cooperate on Net Neutrality Enforcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. The Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to coordinate consumer protection ...
02/05/2024
Haivision Celebrates 20th Anniversary
MONTREAL Haivision Systems Inc. is marking its 20th anniversary by detailing some of the accomplishments and developments that have helped the company become a ...
02/05/2024
Agora Introduces Adaptive Video Optimization Technology
SANTA CLARA, Calif. Agora today unveiled its Adaptive Video Optimization (AVO) technology that uses machine learning to adjust parameters dynamically at every s...
02/05/2024
Study: Streaming Market Is Saturated But Subscriptions Continue to Grow
NEW YORK Kantar has released a new study showing the U.S. streaming market has hit a saturation point, with the household penetration rate stagnating and at nea...
02/05/2024
Samba TV To Spotlight New Capabilities For Generative AI Ad Solution
NEW YORK Samba TV is debuting new capabilities for Samba AI, the company's suite of generative AI technologies, at the 2024 IAB (Interactive Advertising Bur...
02/05/2024
GSTV Pumps Up Research, Programming at NewFront
GSTV, the network that programs screens at gas stations, will be talking about new research and new programming at its NewFront presentation Wednesday....
02/05/2024
Skeem Saam: Wednesday's episode, 1 May 2024 [video]
Skeem Saam: Wednesday's episode, 1 May 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soa...
02/05/2024
Prison Journalism: It's alright not to have
Prison Journalism: It's alright not to haveWesley Leong was incarcerated at the age of 15 in 1996 at Pollsmoor Prison. He is currently part of Restore's...
02/05/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Thandiswa's quest to reclaim Caesar's house intensifies
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Lulu navigates the complexities of her relationshi...
02/05/2024
GeForce NOW Delivers 24 A-May-zing Games This Month
GeForce NOW brings 24 new games for members this month. Ninja Theory's highly anticipated Senua's Saga: Hellblade II will be coming to the cloud soon -...
02/05/2024
NVIDIA AI Microservices for Drug Discovery, Digital Health Now Integrated With AWS
Harnessing optimized AI models for healthcare is easier than ever as NVIDIA NIM,...
02/05/2024
ARRI announces the ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam System
ARRI announces the ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam System posted: 02/05/2024 Arri Alexa 35 Live - Multicam System ARRI announces the ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam Sy...
02/05/2024
The Women': Author shines light on forgotten women in war
The Women': Author shines light on forgotten women in warThe bestselling author of The Nightingale', Kristin Hannah, has outdone herself with her new h...
02/05/2024
May 01, 2024
New technique improves T cell-based immunotherapies for solid tumors Scripps Research scientists help T cells more effectively kill solid tumors cells in vitro ...
01/05/2024
Release Rundown: What to Watch in May, From I Saw the TV Glow to Power
Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) develop an eerie connection to a supernatural TV show in Jane Schoebrun's I Saw the TV Glow....
01/05/2024
Celebrate May the 4th With Special Star Wars' Playlists, Audiobooks, and More
Spotify's Star Wars celebrations are in full Force starting today, and this ...
01/05/2024
Spotify's New Hardcore Gardening Playlist and Brain Dead Collab Will Rattle Greenhouses Everywhere
All around the world, millions of Spotify fans love listening to hardcore punk m...
01/05/2024
THE CALL FOR THE FIFTH PRESIDENTIAL EMPLOYMENT STIMULUS PROGRAMME (PESP5) FOCUSED ON THE AUDIO-VISUAL INDUSTRY, IS OPEN.
THE CALL FOR THE FIFTH PRESIDENTIAL EMPLOYMENT STIMULUS PROGRAMME (PESP5) FOCUSE...
01/05/2024
QTAKE Pioneers Live 3D Stream to Apple Vision Pro
QTAKE, the leading video assist and on-set collaboration software trusted by professional filmmakers worldwide, launched a new cutting-edge feature at NAB 2024....
01/05/2024
LA County Opens Entertainment Business Interruption Fund Grant Program for Small Business, LAEDC Offers Updates
In HPA's ongoing focus on providing input and insight from city and county g...
01/05/2024
Trailblazing AI Storytelling by Empowering Storytellers: Curious Refuge
HPA Newsline had the opportunity to speak with Caleb and Shelby Ward, founders of Curious Refuge. Caleb and Shelby were participants in the 2024 HPA Tech Retrea...
01/05/2024
Supporting Global Air Traffic Modernization through Managed Services Infrastructure
L3Harris works with air navigation service providers who efficiently manage air ...
01/05/2024
Q&A with Scott Alexander, Aerojet Rocketdyne's new Missile Solutions President
Scott Alexander, Missile Solutions President, Aerojet Rocketdyne...
01/05/2024
Comcast: More Than Half of Viewers Frustrated About Finding Content
NEW YORK Just over half of U.S. viewers are frustrated over their ability to be able to find content to watch on TV according to Comcast....
01/05/2024
Bally RSNs Go Dark On Comcast Systems
Bally Sports Regional Networks were taken off Comcast's systems on April 30 when their existing distribution agreement expired and Diamond Sports Group was ...
01/05/2024
NXTGENbps powers Molinare's Notorious DIT
NXTGENbps battery solutions are designed to replace diesel generators and offer silent, emission-free power for various applications in film, TV, outside broadc...
01/05/2024
Elodie Ichter Joins Light Iron as Senior Colorist
Light Iron, the post-production creative-services division of Panavision, is excited to announce that lodie Ichter has joined the company's artist roster a...
01/05/2024
CJP presents live mo-cap demos at MPTS
CJP Broadcast Service Solutions, systems integration, production and content digitisation specialist, will feature live motion capture demonstrations at the 202...