OAHHS Hospital Voice Fall/Winter 2020

10 » A magazine for and about Oregon Community Hospitals. Almost half of the families who benefit are Spanish speaking, but some are indigenous Guatemalan migrant and seasonal workers who speak only Mam. Of the $345,000 PeaceHealth gave to the district, $30,000 funded a Mam interpreter, and helped with clients’ rents, utilities, food, childcare, and trans- portation. In March and April, the Family Resource Center joined forces with Be Your Best, the Rural Organizing Project, Food for Lane County, and the Migrant Education Program. Together they acquired food and distributed it to migrant worker families from the Cottage Grove Elementary School parking lot. When schools re-open, part of that six-figure PeaceHealth grant will help set up a culturally appropriate pre- school for Latino children and those whose first language is not English. The coronavirus may be unpredict- able, but one thing is certain. “Every- one who comes to the center knows they’ll feel cared for, loved and safe,” says Dudley. Mobilizing for Migrants: OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center What would Oregon do without its migrant and seasonal workers? They are a vital resource in the state’s agricultural economy, but these workers are statistically underserved when it comes to health care. Nearly 300 winery and vineyard owners have worked to close that gap with ¡Salud! Services. Since 1992, operated by OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center, ¡Salud! has connected wine-industry farmworkers with free, basic health care on-site and by referral. Services include dental exams and diabetes management and are delivered by full-time bilingual staff including three registered nurses, a health educator, and an administrative coordinator. Throughout the Willamette Valley in Washington, Clackamas, Yamhill, Marion, Polk, Benton, and Lane Counties, ¡Salud! serves about 2,500 people, mostly from Central America. Many are year-round core workers. “They provide an essential service, helping the region’s economy. ¡Salud! breaks down health barriers—the premise of this organization—and gives the services they so deserve, collaborating with other community organizations,” says Leda Garside, a native of Costa Rica who now serves as Salud’s manager and cultural liaison. When the coronavirus barged in, ¡Salud! marshalled its OHSU mobile unit, now used for office space instead of its usual patient care. With 45 percent of Oregon’s new COVID- 19 cases coming from the Spanish speaking community, ¡Salud! was ready. Three days a week, PPE-clad staff roll in to the vineyards and wineries and set up five socially distanced sta- tions—for registration, vital signs, agreed-to COVID-19 testing, lipid panel and blood-sugar screening, tetanus-vaccination boosters, educa- tion and, if needed, referrals to primary care. It’s a sign of the COVID What would Oregon do without its migrant and seasonal workers? They are a vital resource in the state’s agricultural economy, but these workers are statistically underserved when it comes to health care. era to see masks, face shields, and protective gowns in the vineyards of Oregon’s beautiful wine country, but it’s necessary to deliver important care to patients and meet them where they are. “If someone tests positive, we follow up with them and any family they’re living with, and make sure they know what measures to take to fully recover, and diminish spreading the virus,” says Garside. Since May, ¡Salud! has done more than 500 COVID-19 tests, resulting in 20 positives. The organization has seen this number continue to decrease, which speaks to the effectiveness of the health education efforts. “We’ve also seen the resilience among workers and their communities, how they’re helping each other, trying to stay healthy and keep afloat,” says Garside. “And they’re really loyal to their employers.” From Obstacles to Opportunities Likewise, Oregon’s hospitals and health systems remain devoted to their community benefit programs. COVID created opportunities to re-think programs and forge new alliances. “COVID-19 has brought our commu- nity closer together. There’s been a lot of good from what is otherwise a horrible health crisis,” says Dr. Ogden. “If we can make good things come out of a pandemic, then this is just the start of what we can do to enhance our services to all members of our communities. Giving better and better care—this is what it’s all about.”