The education, wellness, and integration of the Hispanic/Latino population in the U.S. are critical issues for both the Hispanic and overall U.S. population. Lack of understanding and growing concern about immigration in the U.S. pose both economic and social concerns. Although the entry of Latinos from Central America and Mexico has made a significant contribution to the U.S., many U.S. leaders are asking "but at what cost and to whom." Immigration is a complex issue that raises multiple questions: Why do Latinos emigrate to the U.S. for lives of uncertainty and risk? How can economic opportunities and health care and educational services be improved in the countries of origin? How can we help Hispanic/Latinos living in the U.S. to bridge cultural and language barriers to health and educational services that will allow them to improve their lives?

URC-CHS will launch the new Hispanic-Latino Initiative in 2007 to address these complex immigration issues. Our experience in Central America and Mexico combined with our experience assisting Hispanic/Latino communities in the U.S. gives us a unique perspective for 1) building innovative programs and addressing many of the critical problems linked to immigration and 2) promoting development in the home countries.

The Initiative is designed to 1) provide Hispanic/Latino communities with access to critical services focusing on behavior change, education and skill development; 2) raise community awareness and participation; and 3) focus attention on policies needed to both motivate positive actions and ensure the sustainability of the changes that occur. In looking across borders, we will explore specific traditional practices that may serve to protect minority populations as they enter new environments. We will identify innovative ways to increase the productivity of remittances that are sent, often at great sacrifice, from Latinos in the U.S. to their families in Central America & Mexico and will promote activities that strengthen local development, reduce immigration, and attract immigrants back to their home countries.

URC-CHS’ new Initiative focuses on a number of closely linked issues that affect Hispanic/ Latino communities: health, education, and positive youth development. In the area of health, our primary focus will be on services for obesity, nutrition, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and life style issues. The Initiative will also focus attention on services for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress as well as on coordination of disease surveillance and response activities across borders. In the area of education, our focus will be on programs that provide educational services in English as a Second Language (ESL), High School Equivalency (HEP), and vocational training. The positive youth development component is designed to help parents and teenagers address issues related to violence, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, mental health, leaving school early, and inter-generational cultural differences.

URC-CHS has a long history in the U.S. of supporting the Latino community including migrant and seasonal farmworker education, migrant health, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, parent-child communication, self-esteem and mental health, diabetes, underage drinking, bilingual education, teacher training, family literacy, farmworker disability, and access to health and education information and services. At the same time, URC-CHS is recognized throughout Central America and Mexico for our efforts to improve the quality of health and nutrition services. In El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, our programs support Ministries of Health in improving the health and nutritional status of underserved populations throughout the urban and rural areas of these countries. We have worked in partnership with the Ministry of Education of Mexico to improve access to educational services for Mexican citizens living in the U.S.

The Initiative has a unique capability to respond to many of the critical issues and problems through activities that address their root causes in both Central America, Mexico, and the U.S. We recognize that addressing these issues requires a multi-faceted approach that includes health, education and behavior change interventions, job training, and the design and implementation of policies that will facilitate change at the state and national levels. We believe that our 25 years of extensive work on both sides of the border educating, changing behaviors, and improving the quality of critical services gives URC-CHS an understanding of the key aspects of growing multiculturalism that promote healthful living. URC-CHS has the experience to make a difference in the lives of Hispanic-Latino populations, both in the U.S. and their countries of origin.

To address the needs described above, URC-CHS will respond to 1) requests for proposals (RFP's) at the national level from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Department of Education; 2) RFP's from the state level; and 3) grant opportunities from foundations that fund the technical areas described above.

For more information on the URC-CHS Hispanic-Latino Initiative, please contact Jack Galloway at jgalloway@urc-chs.com.

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