 July 9, 2020 - The latest issue of NCFH news is now available!
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 For many families across the country, warm weather means time spent with family –whether it’s backyard cookouts, picnics at the park, family vacations, or even family get-togethers over Zoom! These events are a time for families to reconnect and reflect on traditions. Family functions are also a time to talk about family health. In the United States, all too often a family’s health history includes prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is a condition that affects 88 million American adults–or 1 in 3–and means that a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough yet for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Prediabetes affects some communities more than others. For example, 32% of Hispanics and Latinos have prediabetes, and only 1 in 14 are aware that they do. The good news is prediabetes can often be reversed with a healthy diet and more physical activity.
When spending time with family this summer, think about ways you can get healthier together. Here are some ideas to help you get started:
Summer is a time to have fun with family, but it’s also a time to help take care of them. Encourage family members at risk for type 2 diabetes to understand their risk and learn that they can prevent or delay it if they take steps to change their lifestyle. Help them get started today!To learn more about the National Diabetes Prevention Program, visit the CDC web page at https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/index.html or check out our NCFH Diabetes Resource Hub http://www.ncfh.org/diabetesresourcehub.html for more information. June 5, 2020 - The latest issue of NCFH news is now available!
Stay informed of our events, products and resources, as well as news from the migrant health center community. Sign up to have NCFH news delivered to your inbox every month. The staff at the National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH) is deeply saddened by the recent unjust and violent events impacting our country. Since the enslavement of indigenous and African peoples in the early days of America, racism has had deep roots in agriculture. Throughout the 20th century, Black farmers had to battle institutional racism in farm lending and land opportunities as they were systematically pushed off their farms. In the early 1900s, Black farmers made up 14% of farm owners and many were thriving economically, but 100 years later only 1.5% of farm owners were Black and the size of their farms had shrunk dramatically. As a nation, we owe so much to the Black agriculturalists who drove innovation and success on American farms: from Antoine, the Louisiana slave horticulturalist who cultivated the first domesticated pecans, to George Washington Carver, whose brilliant ideas on regenerative agriculture are still innovative today, to Leah Penniman, who is fiercely fighting to end racism and injustice in farming today.
In affirming our mission to improve the health of farmworkers and their families, we strive to dismantle all types of barriers and challenges to quality healthcare, including racism. We are committed to advancing and supporting actions that are grounded in respect, inclusivity, and health equality. NCFH stands in solidarity with those devoted to and who seek equality, oppose racism, and demand justice for those subject to health disparities, poverty, and violence.  The National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH) is pleased to announce that Ampla Health based in Yuba City, California, has been selected as the recipient of this year’s Increase Access to Care for Ag Workers (IAC) Network Promising Practices Award.
Since the inception of the Increase Access to Care for Ag Workers Program in 2015, NCFH has seen a variety of great promising practices implemented at health centers that have contributed to the increased number of Ag Workers and their families served nationwide. The IAC Network Promising Practices Award was established in 2018 in order to showcase promising practices, and acknowledge our Network members’ efforts of continuously identifying ways to increase access to quality health care for the Ag worker population. Past recipients include: 2018--Altura Centers for Health (CA) and Sea Mar Community Health Centers (WA), and 2019--Family HealthCare Network (CA). Ampla Health is being recognized for the promising practice of integrating their Migrant Health Program action plan into their organization’s strategic plan by adding a strategic direction specific to increasing access to care for Ag workers and other vulnerable populations. We see this as a replicable promising practice that demonstrates Ampla’s strong commitment to this special population as an organization, while also creating buy in and accountability at all levels, ensuring prioritization of their Migrant Health Program goals. We further appreciate Ampla staff’s active participation in our IAC Network activities and are pleased to acknowledge this health center’s great work. In addition to receiving a plaque and $1500 to support their increase access efforts, Ampla will also be recognized during the 2021 Midwest Stream Forum for Agricultural Worker Health to be held in Austin, Texas. Funding for the IAC Network Promising Practices Award is generated from the annual sales of NCFH commemorative artwork. All proceeds from sales go directly to the IAC Network Promising Practices Award and the NCFH Migrant Health Scholarship fund. ------------------------ For more information about the Increase Access to Care for Ag Workers Program, contact our Increase Access Campaign Coordinator.  As a grandmother, mother, wife, daughter, or sister, you are a role model for your loved ones, including the men in your family. Women tend to influence their fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons to make healthier decisions. Help the men in your life lead healthier lives by learning about prediabetes and ways to reduce risk for type 2 diabetes.
Prediabetes is a condition that affects 88 million American adults, and it means that a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Unfortunately, Hispanics/Latinos have a greater risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes compared to some other Americans. Gina recognizes she is at higher risk because her mom has high blood pressure and her dad has type 2 diabetes. She knows that she needs to take care of her health to prevent type 2 diabetes. Gina became a lifestyle change program coach two years ago because of her passion to motivate Hispanics/Latinos in her community to be healthier. “Thanks to everything I’ve learned in this program, I’ve created new habits to take better care of myself and I’ve also been able to help my family members. I have a brother who has type 2 diabetes and all the things I’ve learned as a coach have helped me give him tips, so he takes care of his health. We’ve talked about changes he can do every day, such as waking up earlier and walking for 30 minutes, incorporating vegetables into his meals, and being more conscious about his health,” said Gina. Like Gina, you can also help your loved ones take action today to prevent type 2 diabetes. Talk to your grandfather, dad, husband, brother or son today about prediabetes and encourage them to visit cdc.gov/diabetes/risktest to take the prediabetes risk test. In only one minute, your loved ones can find out if they are at risk for prediabetes. If one of your family members finds out he’s at high risk, you can help him make an appointment with his doctor to get a blood test and be sure. It's important for your family members to know that in many cases prediabetes can be reversed by making healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier and doing physical activity regularly. But making these changes can be challenging and difficult for many people. You can also ask your doctor about activities you could do as a family to help him potentially reverse prediabetes and prevent type 2 diabetes. Your doctor can also offer tips and information about how to lead a healthier life and recommend a CDC-recognized lifestyle change program like the National Diabetes Prevention Program. As part of the program, a lifestyle coach helps participants learn how to lose weight, stay physically active, eat healthier, and manage stress. The program is personalized, and it helps participants work as a team with the instructor, as well as with other participants, building a positive and collaborative environment. Lifestyle change program coaches like Gina are committed to helping people in their communities lead healthier lives so they can enjoy special moments with their loved ones. Learn more about diabetes prevention and self-management on our Diabetes Resource Hub. For the Spanish version of this blog post, click here. May 7, 2020 - The latest issue of NCFH news is now available! COVID-19 Resources, Mental Health Awareness Month Resources, Midwest Stream Forum Update + More Stay informed of our events, products and resources, as well as news from the migrant health center community. Sign up to have NCFH news delivered to your inbox every month.  When is the last time you thought about your health goals? Whether it was last week, last month,or even last year, now is the time to revisit your goals and restart healthy habits that you may have put on hold.Getting back into a routine after time off can seem overwhelming at first, but you can do it. Start by thinking about how far you’ve already come. Consider the challenges you’ve likely faced and the success you achieved along the way. Both have helped you build up the skills you need to achieve your goals. Instead of thinking about time lost, focus on the future and everything that you’ll be able to accomplish! Being a part of a lifestyle change program from the National Diabetes Prevention Program, now is the time to revisit, refresh, and restart your healthy lifestyle goals by following the steps below.
Revisit: Begin by revisiting your goals. If you are part of a lifestyle change program, your goals may already be written down. If not, try to remember the last time you set goals for yourself and what they were. It might be helpful to write them out. An example of a goal might be to add vegetables to at least two of your meals and snacks during the day or to go for a 30-minute walk 4 days a week. Refresh: Once you’ve revisited your past goals, it’s time to refresh them! This is a chance to think about where you are currently and what you want to accomplish in the future. This may have changed over time.Read over your past goals and think about the following:
You will also want to write down three actions that you can do to achieve each goal. For example, if your goal is to add vegetables to at least two of your meals and snacks during the day, your three actions could be: browsing online recipes for inspiration, planning out your meals before you go to the grocery store, and washing and prepping vegetables so they're ready to eat through out the week. Remember,your actions should be:
Restart: You’ve got your goals and your action plan that outlines the steps you need to take for success. Now it’s time to put them to the test and try. If they work, keep going! If you find yourself having difficulties, don’t give up! Pause and re examine. Revisit your goals, refresh, and restart. The most important thing is to set attainable goals and actions that work for you so that you can achieve better health. As you work toward your refreshed health goals, remember to seek out support from those around you. Support from your family, friends, and coworkers will encourage you and help keep you on track. If you haven’t already, you can also join a lifestyle change program. A trained lifestyle coach works with a group of participants to help them learn how to eat healthier, exercise more, and reduce stress. The class is specifically designed for people who have prediabetes, a condition where a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. With support from the lifestyle change coach and each other, participants have been shown to cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in half.  During this time of social distancing it's easy to be tempted to put aside your healthy routines. But just because you’re staying at home doesn’t mean you can’t continue to make healthy lifestyle choices. After all, you need to stay healthy to be there for your family and neighbors in need. Staying healthy can also help to reduce stress.
While they may not be part of your usual routine, there are many ways to get moving, eat healthy, and stay socially connected with those you care about even when staying indoors. Try following these tips to keep up with your healthy habits: Get moving:
Eat healthy:
Stay connected:
Most of all, remember to stay positive! It’s natural to feel stress or anxiety when your movement is limited and your routines are disrupted; but being active, eating healthy, and staying connected during this time can help.  Actor Nicholas Gonzalez to Serve as Spokesperson for Public Awareness Campaign LOS ANGELES, CA(April 6, 2020) – Acclaimed Fashion Designer Mario De La Torre has teamed up with Justice for Migrant Women, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and National Center for Farmworker Health by launching a campaign in support of farmworkers toiling in agricultural jobs across America during COVID-19 crisis titled #Masks4Farmworkers campaign. Actor Nicholas Gonzalez from ABC’s television series The Good Doctorwill serve as the main spokesperson for the effort which will include other celebrities.
There are 2-3 million farmworkers who put themselves at risk by continuing to pick, pack and plant the fruits and vegetables that families across America are depending on more than ever amid the COVID-19 crisis. Not only do farmworkers labor shoulder-to-shoulder with each other, they also can inhale pesticides or field dust, which can trigger asthma attacks and other serious respiratory problems--all of which puts them at an even greater risk during the coronavirus pandemic. De La Torre and his team of designers will be sewing tens of thousands of masks, and much more depending on funding, to protect these vital and valued members of America’s workforce and communities. The #Masks4Farmworkers campaign is another facet of Justice for Migrant Women's ongoing advocacy in support of farmworkers, including the Farmworker Pandemic Relief Fund that they established in conjunction with Hispanics in Philanthropy. To contribute, visithttps://hipgive.org/project/farmworkers-covid-19-pandemic-relief-fund/. “Farmworkers are the heartbeat of humanity,” said Fashion Designer Mario de la Torre. “Just like we can’t survive without our hearts and the food that nourishes us every day, we can’t survive without these heroes. Through the #Mask4Farmworkers campaign, we have an opportunity to show gratitude to farmworkers through our craft. I look forward to working in concert with other designers and sewists in this effort.” The #Masks4Farmworkers campaign is also designed to raise the awareness and appreciation of farmworkers while mobilizing others in the fashion industry and in our communities to sew masks to protect farmworkers. To support the effort by sewing or contributing materials for masks, visit https://forms.gle/9n2mbVHJJUwyiz8j7. The federal government has deemed farmworkers as essential workers during this time of crisis. Advocates have raised many concerns about the threat to farmworker health, given the already poor working and living conditions that exist for farmworkers across our nation. Farmworkers earn poverty wages, many live in overcrowded housing, and they often do not have required soap and water in the fields in order to wash their hands. “Farmworkers have always been at risk of illness and harm, but that risk has increased exponentially with COVID-19,” said Mónica Ramírez, President of Justice for Migrant Women. “Their work conditions make it nearly impossible for farmworkers to be able to abide by the social distancing, handwashing and other requirements that health care professionals say are necessary to prevent the transmission of the illness. Farmworkers deserve protection along with respect and appreciation for feeding us every day.” Advocates have raised particular concern about the well-being of migrating workers who live in labor camps and often travel in buses and vans with multiple workers. There is a fear that many workers could become sick and fear that they will not have access to the medical care that they need in order to get required treatment. Given that the overwhelming majority of farmworkers are undocumented or from mixed status families, many will not qualify for some of the most important benefits and protections being offered under the stimulus bills, including free COVID-19 testing and the stimulus checks. “This campaign will bring critically needed resources to front line staff who are key to ensuring that farm workers continue to have access to health care services and stay abreast of information resources that can help them navigate this very complex and evolving crisis,” said Sylvia Partida, CEO of National Center for Farmworker Health. In addition to this, limited resources and the lack of PPE for health care providers is threatening the ability for rural health clinics to provide farmworkers and their families with the health care that they need. The #Masks4Farmworkers initiative aims to ensure that the farmworkers who feed us and the health care professionals who serve them have much-needed protective wear in order to safely perform their jobs. “All Americans should care about protecting our farmworkers,” said Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. “Every single time we take a bite of food, we should think about the importance of our farmworkers. And now we need to do our part to protect them not just from COVID-19 but from the all the risks they deal with to nobly nourish us and our families.” ### About Justice for Migrant Women Justice for Migrant Women protects and advances migrant women’s rights through education, public awareness and advocacy. Justice for Migrant Women aims to ensure that all migrant women are guaranteed human and civil rights, including the freedom of mobility, the ability to live and work with dignity, and the right to be free of threats of violence against them and their families, whether they are migrating across borders, around regions or within states. (https://justice4women.org/) About Mario de la Torre Born and raised on the streets of south central LA, fashion designer Mario De La Torre knows what it is to sweat and struggle for art. Imparting a brutally honest vision of hood influences, west coast appeal and Chicano culture, De La Torre approaches his designs with an open mind and the intent to empower people including artists Bebe Rexha, Ashanti, Lauren Hill, and Ziggy Azelia among others. Visit https://www.instagram.com/_mario_delatorrehttps://www.facebook.com/mariodelatorre.co/ About National Center for Farmworker Health The National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH) is a private, not-for-profit corporation located in Buda, Texas dedicated to improving the health status of farmworker families. We provide information services, training and technical assistance, and a variety of products to community and migrant health centers nationwide, as well as organizations, universities, researchers and individuals involved in farmworker health. (http://www.ncfh.org/) About Hispanic Heritage Foundation The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is a national nonprofit focused on education, workforce, culture and leadership. HHF is headquartered in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles with satellites in New York, Silicon Valley, and Miami (www.HispanicHeritage.org). |
The National Center for Farmworker HealthImproving health care access for one of America's most vulnerable populations Archives
July 2020
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