Since 1998, the Regional Center for Border Health, Inc. has conducted its annual "Nuestros Niños" Healthcare Community Census and Immunization Campaign in the border communities of San Luis, Gadsden, Somerton and Yuma, Arizona.

The RCBH's outreach campaign is a six-week door-to-door community based census designated to identify and collect information from underserved / disadvantaged families by working with a cadre of Community Outreach Workers / Promotoras and High School Students, participating in the summer Youth Training Program at Yuma Private Industry Council (YPIC).

The community-based census targets; children in need of healthcare coverage, children under 36 months and school age children in need of immunizations, pregnant women in need of prenatal care, migrant families with no medical insurance in need of resources.

The Regional Center for Border Health, Inc. has incorporated the sue of the Community Outreach Workers / Promotoras as an effective means of reaching families and helping them overcome barriers to accessing healthcare such as: language, fear of authority, illiteracy, lack of education and cultural differences. By training promotoras who are members of the community, RCBH, Inc. has been able to recognize and begin to address the need of quality healthcare for the underserved populations of South Yuma County.

This year the Regional Center for Border Health, Inc. (RCBH) also sponsored during the summer campaign its 12th Annual Health Fair and Free Immunization Clinic, in the border communities of San Luis, Somerton and City of Yuma, Arizona. The Health Fair and Immunizations Campaign are designed to provide families with information about local resources and enrollment into public assistance programs such as: healthcare coverage, cash assistance, food stamps, WIC and other needed resources. In addition, RCBH enrolls families into AHCCCS and KidsCare. If families do not qualify for AHCCCS, the RCBH staff enrolls families on the CAPAZ-MEX Medical Discount Network Program. The CAPAZ-MEX is a medical discount network designed to serve as a safety net for the uninsured families who do not qualify for AHCCCS or KidsCare and it has been in operation since 2000.

The 12th Annual "Nuestros Niños / Our Children" Healthcare Census Campaign visited 972 homes in Yuma, Somerton and San Luis and reached 311 families. RCBH Promotores identified 464 children and 606 adults and assisted these individual with the enrollment process into the KidsCare and AHCCCS Programs. This year's sponsors and collaborators were: Yuma County Public Health Services District, Health Choice of Arizona, Chicanos por la Causa, YPIC, Inc., Gallemore Dental Group, Amberly's Place, APIPA, ABRIO Family Services and Support and University of Arizona Focusing Research in the Border Region Summer Internship as known as FRONTERA. FRONTERA is a program for graduate students interested in learning more about health disparities affecting the US-Mexico border region, and develop skills in public health research while working with faculty mentors at the University of Arizona.

Table 1 shows the results of this year Health Fair and Immunization Campaign.

Table 1

Every year RCBH invites community volunteers to be part of the immunization clinic. This year we were pleased to have the participation of Yuma County Public Health Services District personnel assisting with immunization record reading. We also had participation from students at the RCBH's Job Training Center, Medical Assistants Program, administering vaccines as well as San Luis Walk-In Clinic, Inc. medical personnel Dr. Jose L. Muñoz, Pediatrician and Humberto Rosado, Family Practice.

Other activities offered to children included face painting, recycling activities and games. Students attending the University of Arizona Focusing Research in the Border Region Summer Internship (FRONTERA Summer Internship) also participated at the Health Fair and Immunization campaign from reading immunization record cards to providing and engaging children in different physical activities and games in addition recycling activities included art made from recycle materials. Airplanes were made from recycle file folders and decorated with glitter and color painted.