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IMMEDIATE RELEASE ASSEMBLYMEMBER SARAH REYES TO ADDRESS LATINO HEALTH CARE ISSUES AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY UCSF-FRESNO Fresno, CA – Latino health care issues will be the focus of a national conference organized by the California Border Health and Education Training Centers (CaHETC). The California HETC is a Fresno-based program sponsored by the University of California San Francisco-Fresno Medical Education Program. Katherine A. Flores, M.D., a family physician in Fresno and member of the clinical faculty at UCSF-Fresno, serves as CaHETC Project Director. Guided by an advisory committee of Hispanic scholars, practitioners, educators, community leaders, and public health educators, CaHETC seeks to improve access to health care for California's Hispanic population in the part of the state that is closest to the U.S.-Mexican Border. Specifically, the program's area of influence includes Fresno and south to the California-Mexico Border. The California HETC coordinates activities at five centers located throughout the state. "Through the California HETC, multiple sites conduct educational activities designed to improve the health of the public by assisting underrepresented students in meeting academic requirements for entry into health professions, " explained Assistant Dean of the UCSF School of Medicine, H. John Blossom, M.D. "One program trains community members to help their neighbors obtain health insurance by enrolling them in California's Healthy Families Program." Additionally, medical students in the CaHETC conduct annual community surveys to discover public health problems and then focus efforts at immediate solutions. Some solutions include lead level screening and treatment, increased immunization rates, and diabetes screening and referrals. "The California HETC programs distinguish themselves from others because they are located in communities which are clearly underserved and mostly Latino," said California Assemblymember Sarah Reyes, 31st Assembly District. "The gathering of these health professionals to exchange ideas and plan strategies with HETC is an important part of providing healthcare to our community." The conference will be held Wednesday, Sept. 27 through Saturday, Sept. 30, 2000, at the Shelter Pointe Hotel and Marina in San Diego, California. Representatives from nine states are scheduled to participate. Various state and national HETC program efforts and accomplishments will be highlighted. The group will also review the future course of HETC and develop a strategic plan. California Assemblymember Sarah Reyes will speak Friday, Sept. 29. In addition, the conference will include a site visit to Tijuana, Mexico. "California is emerging as a majority minority state," said Dr. Flores. "Many of the states that are participating in the conference have communities that are similarly diverse. As a result, they face the same types of public health issues and clearly demonstrate the growing need to diversify our health care workforce." According to Dr. Flores, the National Health Education and Training Center Strategic Planning Meeting will provide an ideal opportunity for local, state, and federal health professionals to discuss challenges and devise solutions and programs that will help address current and emerging health issues. # # # |