2012-2013 PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMWORKER STREAM FORUMS

Each year, regional farmworker advocates, health and social service providers, policy makers, and other interested individuals gather in a series of three conferences called “stream forums.” One conference is located in each of three loosely-defined migratory streams, representing the flow of agricultural workers up and down the stream as they follow the harvest.  The annual migrant stream forums offer a valuable opportunity for people interested in migrant health to establish linkages with their colleagues.  In addition to education sessions for board members, administrative personnel, and clinical care providers, the forums give individuals a chance to meet, exchange information, network and identify potential cooperative activities within their geographic region   The conferences present an opportunity for participants to discuss topics of national significance as well as address issues which affect the delivery of services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in their own region, and share successful strategies for addressing farmworker needs.

Base funding for the steam forums is provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Primary Health Care.  Additional funding is received each year from offices and agencies within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Each Forum works with a dedicated group of committee members to develop the conference content, identify and recruit speakers, market and promote the conference and evaluate and conduct needs assessments for future planning.

The 2012-2013 Migrant Stream Forums were convened in the fall and winter of 2012-2013: the 25th Annual East Coast Migrant Stream Forum in Virginia Beach, Virginia on Oct. 18-20; the 22nd Annual Midwest Stream Farmworker Health Forum in San Antonio, Texas on November 8-10; and the 21^st Annual Western Migrant Stream Forum in San Francisco, California on February 20-22, 2013. These proceedings offer a review of each of the forums including the conference program, participant demographics and contact information, conference sponsors, planning committee members and conference highlights.

The 2012-2013 Stream Forums assembled a total of 638 regional and national participants from a wide range of organizations, agencies, and backgrounds. The three venues provided 174 sessions in various educational tracks including, clinical, outreach, lay health, research, administration, policy and leadership. Continuing education credits were available in nursing, social work and health education.

We encourage you to attend the 2013-2014 forums and invite your colleagues for the following dates:

East Coast Migrant Stream Forum, October 17- 19, 2013, in Puerto Rico ; Midwest Stream Farmworker Health Forum, November 14-16, 2013, in South Padre Island, Texas; and Western Migrant Stream Forum, February 26-28, 2014, in Seattle, Washington.

FARMWORKER STREAM FORUM HOST ORGANIZATIONS

National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc. 

Bobbi Ryder, CEO

1770 FM 967

Buda, TX 78610

Phone: (512) 312-2700, Ext. 5453

Fax: (512) 312-2600

E-mail:  ryder@ncfh.org

North Carolina Community Health Center Association

Benjamin Money, CEO

2500 Gateway Center, Suite 100

Morrisville, NC 27560

Phone: (919) 469-5701

Fax: (919) 469-1263

E-mail: moneyb@ncchca.org

Northwest Regional Primary Care Association

FARMWORKER STREAM FORUM NATIONAL SPONSORS

Health Resources and Services Administration

Bureau of Primary Health Care

Office of Special Population Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for HIV, Hepatitis B, STD and TB

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Farmworker Health Network

Migrant Health Centers Nationwide

The following links provide specific information on each of the stream forums.

Migrant Health Stream Forums:  Promoting Health for Agricultural Workers and Their Families – Impact Summary Report (PDF)

East Coast Migrant Stream Forum

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Oct. 18-20, 2012

Conference Program (PDF)

Participant List (PDF)

Conference Summary and highlights (PDF)

Participant demographic information (PDF)

Midwest Stream Farmworker Health Forum  

San Antonio, Texas

November 8-10, 2012

Conference Program (PDF)

Participant List (PDF)

Conference Summary and highlights (PDF)

Participant demographic information (PDF)

Western Migrant Stream Forum

San Francisco, California

February 20-22, 2013

Conference Program (PDF)

Participant List (PDF)

Conference Summary and highlights (PDF)

Participant demographic information (PDF)