Aid groups aim to bring health care to migrants on way to US

A fleet of mobile health units across the nation have been helping low-income and immigrant communities to access public health care resources, but during the coronavirus pandemic, the focus has shifted to providing relevant safety information. Leveraging the trust that has been developed over time, public health care workers are utilizing social media to distribute information and resources until they can until they can begin "delivering medications in partnership with Federally Qualified Health Centers, a safety net for uninsured and undocumented people."

Because of coordinated partnerships between local governments, state health departments, and nonprofit groups, more and more farmworkers are receiving COVID-19 vaccinations. Through the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Farmworker Health program and its partners, nearly 14,000 doses were administered to the farmworker community over two months. Advocates also have to dispel rumors and myths about the vaccines, but they are working to combat that misinformation and make it easier for them to get vaccinated.

The government's response to the coronavirus pandemic eliminated many bureaucratic barriers and increased funding for health clinics across Hawaii, allowing the entities to offer services such as mobile clinics and telehealth. Although it is yet to be seen if these changes will last, the changes have proved successful enough that several legislative measures are now under consideration.

In Colombia – where having an abortion can be stigmatizing, in some cases illegal, and now even more difficult due to the coronavirus pandemic – a clinic has set up a national hotline to help women who are up to 10 weeks pregnant aaccess to safe abortions at home. So far, the clinic has connected with 700 women.

A group of health professionals known as Latinx Advocacy Team & Interdisciplinary Network for COVID-19, or LATIN-19, is helping to bring coronavirus-specific health care access to North Carolina's Latino community. Because the group operates across county lines, they have become well-known amongst the local communities, helping to not only provide much-needed health care services, but also increase awareness around the dangers of the virus.

Philadelphia's local government and health care providers are working to improve access to health care and coronavirus testing in minority and low-income neighborhoods. While a testing center is the newest addition to their efforts, local health care centers have been and will remain a crucial resource for residents to access telehealth services and information.

The move to telemedicine was made necessary due to the coronavirus outbreak, but in Vermont, many health clinics are planning to continue incorporating the practice even after the pandemic dissipates. Although there are limitations to telehealth such as connectivity issues, many health care providers in the state are reporting that the elimination of barriers for their patients are still significant successes.

New Hampshire's community mental health centers are working together to deliver both in-person and telehealth services to community members during the coronavirus pandemic. All 10 of the state's centers are "sharing ideas and helping each other with what is working and identifying what isn’t working," while also working to help reduce barriers to health care access for those experiencing homelessness.

To better serve Mexican citizens living in the U.S., the Mexican government created an initiative known as Health Windowns that helps bridge the gap between immigrants and preventive health care access. Although anyone is welcome to visit the free resource centers or any of the community pop-ups for medical attention, the program targets those who lack health insurance or are hesitant to receive traditional medical care.

When asylum seekers are released from the Aurora, Colorado immigration center, many seek help and community from the nonprofit organization, Casa de Paz. Based in Denver, the nonprofit offers these individuals and any visiting family members a place to stay and helps connect them with community resources.