Be sure to add jose@ncfh.org to your contacts to keep NCFH News in your inbox!
May 2020
WHAT'S NEW
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
The linked digital story explores the management and treatment options for those diagnosed with depression. It is a low-literacy tool for patients who need a clear, concise understanding of depression and what treatment options are available to help them manage their diagnosis. ​​

NCFH has also complied a number of mental health resources specific to mental health & COVID-19 , as well as resources for ag workers & mental health.
30th Annual Midwest Stream Forum Date Postponed
NCFH has been closely monitoring the current impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as we prepare for our upcoming conference, the 30th Annual Midwest Stream Forum for Agricultural Worker Health, to be held at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol.

We recognize the vital role of health centers nationwide and the impact this pandemic has had as they serve their communities. Due to the current circumstances and through deliberation with staff, board members and partners, we have made the decision to postpone our conference, originally scheduled for September 14-16, 2020, until the Spring of 2021. The rescheduled dates are March 22 – 24, 2021 . The location will remain the same.

Please visit our website for conference updates.

The abstract guidelines and the link to submit an abstract will remain open until further notice. You will be contacted if you have already submitted an abstract for presentation. Please contact Sylvia Gomez, Conference Coordinator at gomez@ncfh.org with your questions.
PRODUCTS
Ag Worker Access Campaign Task Force Update
In response to potential issues affecting ag worker access to healthcare in light of COVID-19, the Ag Worker Access Campaign Task Force has established work groups to focus on recommendations for the following: 

  • Engaging/increasing collaborations with Farm Bureaus and State Monitor Advocates in order to identify best practices/strategies to build relationships with growers/contractors/farmers in an effort to better serve ag workers
  • Increasing communication with health center staff at all levels to ensure timely and effective dissemination of information
  • Providing guidance to entities on developing culturally-appropriate, easy to read information and materials for ag workers.

An update on the work group recommendations is forthcoming.
Ag Worker Access Campaign Activity at
Western Stream Forum
The Western Forum for Community and Migrant Health, hosted by NWRPCA, was held in Sacramento, California in February. NCFH had the opportunity to share information about the Campaign and facilitate an interactive activity during the opening plenary session, where participants were asked to identify strategies to help heath centers connect with and engage community partners in joining the Campaign initiative and increase access to care for ag workers and their families. A summary report is available on the Campaign Resources web page .
Participants were also introduced to NCFH's Ag Worker Access Campaign Partner Profile, a PDF-fillable tool that health centers can use to identify potential community partners to assist them in their outreach efforts. Download a copy today!
HRSA Survey on COVID-19 Response Infographic
HRSA has begun conducting biweekly surveys with Community Health Centers to track their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey responses provide information about PPE needs, clinic site closures, COVID-19 testing, and other factors. See NCFH's infographic describing the results of the most recently available survey data for Migrant Health Centers. 
Ag Workers & COVID-19 Fact Sheet
NCFH has produced a new fact sheet on the effects of COVID-19 in rural areas and on agricultural workers. NCFH will be updating this fact sheet every week, so check back for news & updates as we track the impact of the pandemic on America's farms.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
WEBINARS
Agricultural Worker Health 102: Supporting Agricultural Worker Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Wednesday May 13th
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm CT

Health Centers serving the agricultural worker community are adept at addressing the unique needs of agricultural worker patients and families, and developing innovative and strategic models of service delivery. The onslaught of COVID-19 in our communities is disrupting business as usual and health centers are quickly adapting to meet the new and expanding needs of their ag worker patients as the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates traditional barriers/challenges to care. In this webinar, presenters will share information on agricultural worker protections, health needs, and service delivery challenges, and provide an opportunity to highlight and share T/TA opportunities, resources, and promising practices to help support health center staff on the front lines of this pandemic. This webinar is developed and presented by the Farmworker Health Network.

Taking Action to Change:
Brief Motivational Interviewing Techniques for Better Health Outcomes in Patients with Diabetes
Tuesday June 2nd
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm CT

The purpose of this webinar is to provide an overview of the use of Brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI) in patient care, with a focus on diabetes. Participants will understand the definition of BMI as well as treatment outcomes and impacts of this approach within diabetes management. This webinar will present the spirit and principles of BMI within patient-provider communication as well as introduce participants to components of BMI such as change talk and commitment talk.

RESOURCES
Increase Access to Care for Ag Workers Training Opportunities Available!
NCFH is responding to the need for virtual workforce development by offering customized Increase Access To Care for Agricultural Workers (IAC) trainings and Migrant Health Action Planning consultations. Both can be tailored to the needs of your health centers and the communities you serve.

Contact our Increase Access Campaign Coordinato r for more information and to start planning your next steps toward ensuring access to quality healthcare for your Ag worker patients, especially during this time of crisis.
Recordings Now Available for the
NCFH COVID-19 Webinar Series!
If you missed our recent COVID-19 Webinar Series: Resource Sharing and Discussion with the Frontline , we now have the recordings and materials available for your review. You can listen to them here , along with the rest of our Archived Webinars.
New Key Resources for Ag Worker Health!
The 2020 Key Resources for Agricultural Worker Health are now available from the Farmworker Health Network (FHN). The FHN comprised of six National Cooperative Agreements (NCAs) in agricultural worker health provides training and technical assistance to current and potential health centers across the country. We are committed to supporting the development of leadership within your community and increasing access to care for the agricultural worker population. The 2020 Key Resources from each of the FHN members highlight best practices and field-tested models to further this mission.
OUR PARTNERS
Jumpstart Your Healthy Habits!
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 those goals and jump start healthy habits that you may have put on hold.

Getting back into a routine after time off might seem overwhelming at first, but you can do it. Instead of thinking about time lost, focus on the future and everything that you’ll be able to accomplish!

You can revisit, refresh, and restart your healthy lifestyle goals using the steps below.

Revisit: Begin by revisiting your past goals. If you haven’t already, put them down on paper and make them official.

Refresh: This is a chance to think about the future and what you want to accomplish – which may have changed over time. Read over your goals and think about the following:
  • Do these goals still make sense for me?
  • What worked and what didn’t work well for me in the past?
  • What issues have caused or may cause me to get off track?
  • Are there any changes I want to make to my goals going forward?

Write out your refreshed goals, making any changes that you think are needed. You will also want to write down three actions that you can do to achieve each goal. Remember, your actions should be:
  • Realistic: Be practical about what you can achieve.
  • Doable: Plan for small changes that add up over time to bigger changes
  • Specific: Plan your action in detail by deciding who, what, where, when, why and how
  • Flexible: Review your plan often and make changes if something isn’t working

Restart: Now it’s time to put them to the test and try. If you find yourself having difficulties, don’t give up! Pause and reexamine. 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. If you haven’t already, you can also join a lifestyle change program, like the National Diabetes Prevention Program . A trained lifestyle coach works with a group of participants to help them learn how to eat healthier, exercise more, and reduce stress. This program 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. For more information, check out our Diabetes Resource Hub .
Looking for a Resource? We Have You Covered!
  • A new, HRSA-funded online resource repository of training and technical assistance materials for health centers.
  • Contains resources produced by the 20 HRSA-funded National Cooperative Agreement organizations serving health centers.
  • Resource topics include finance, operations, workforce, quality improvement, capital development, HIT/data, governance, and emerging issues.


Questions, Comments, or Concerns? Contact Us!
Don't forget to check out our blog !
Our Mission: To improve the health status of farmworker families through the provision of
innovative training, technical assistance, and information services to Migrant and
Community Health Centers.
Copyright © 2020. All Rights Reserved.

This project was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under U30CS0 9737, Technical Assistance to
Community and Migrant Health Centers and Homeless, ($1,583,856). This information or content and
conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of,
nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.