Greetings!
MCN's e-newsletter, Network News, provides you with news and resources available from MCN and our partners. We welcome your feedback and/or suggestions for content. Please email Jillian Hopewell with your comments. |
BLOG ENTRY
Briefing: A Clinician's Call for Safer Farmworkers and Families
By Edward Zuroweste, MD
I am a primary care provider. I am a family doctor, and for over 30 years I have cared for farmworkers and their families.
I am here today speaking for frontline clinicians who care for migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
As primary care clinicians caring for farmworkers, we can only do so much to treat a farmworker overexposed to pesticides. But the problem of farmworkers and pesticides goes much deeper than what we see and can do in the exam room. We are often frustrated that what could easily be avoided by ìpreventionî is much more difficult and unsatisfactory to diagnose and treat after a pesticide exposure.
We need agencies charged with protecting workers to help us in safeguarding our workers. The proposed changes to the Worker Protection Standards are a step in the right direction to keep the people who work tirelessly to put food on our tables safer on the job.
For those of us who choose to work with farmworkers, it's frustrating to have to work with a population that we know is exposed to very dangerous chemicals. Because we are always trying to figure out if their health problems are work related or if their nausea and vomiting or other symptoms are from something else. We don't have the tools to make the proper diagnosis.
Our first goal when it comes to protecting workers is that we want a workplace environment where people do not have to work with such dangerous chemicals.Click here to read more!
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NOW AVAILABLE
EPA's Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings, 6th Edition
An update to EPA's comprehensive manual for healthcare providers on toxicology, diagnosis, and treatment for patients with specific pesticide exposures in now available. The Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings, 6th Edition provides clinicians with the tools to conduct environmental and occupational exposure screenings for patients with suspected pesticide-related illnesses or injuries, to report pesticide exposures to appropriate agencies, and provides access to the most up-to-date pesticide information and resources. Jimmy Roberts, MD, MPH, and J. Routt Reigart, MD co-authored this compendium of pesticide information and resources. MCN's Director of Environmental and Occupational Health, Amy K. Liebman, co-authored the chapter, "Making the Diagnosis," along with Matthew C. Keifer, MD, MPH.
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Occupational Health and Safety Virtual Resource Center
The Occupational Health and Safety Resource Center is a virtual repository of Spanish educational materials, data sources, and links to bilingual informational websites on occupational health and safety issues related to agricultural work. It also contains an ample list of national and state agencies that have produced materials in Spanish for farmworkers' health-related problems. MCNs own Deliana Garcia was a part of the advisory committee to this resource center. What is the objective?To facilitate a central access point to high quality Spanish educational materials on agricultural occupational health and safety issues for people conducting work on health promotion and prevention activities and on workers' rights and problems related to agricultural work. What areas are included?The materials cover five key relevant areas: 1) Farmworkers' rights; 2) Injury prevention; 3) Respiratory illnesses; 4) Heat illnesses; and 5) Pesticide exposure. For more information you can Click here
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Books for Kids: Migrant Stories
Provided are a list of books that explore the life of migrant farm workers in a way that children can understand and relate to. From an alphabet book to stories about Cesar Chavez to a young adult novel, these titles offer thoughtful and moving portraits that will inspire all children. You can find the full list of books you can click
here!
An example of one of the books from the list is:
A Day's Work By: Eve Bunting 
Illustrated by: Ronald Himler
Age Level: 6-9
Reading Level: Independent Reader
When Francisco's grandfather arrives from Mexico speaking no English and in search of a job, Francisco becomes his translator. In his desire to help Abuelo find work quickly, Francisco lies about what his grandfather knows how to do, creating trouble for both of them. In the end, Francisco learns an important lesson in this poignant story about immigrant families and day laborers.
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Meet our new staff members!
 Yamina Gomez: Yamina was born in Mexico City, Mexico but lived in California since the age of 5 so she considers herself a Californian at heart. In 2009 she graduated with a B.S. in psychology from California State Polytech University, Pomona. Yamina has been in Austin for 2 years and has no plans of moving back to California. Before joining MCN she worked at a dog daycare and boarding facility. In her spare time she enjoys relaxing, meditating and taking her dog Roxie to the lake!
 Anna Krey: Anna has been the Executive Associate at MCN since July 2013. She studied Public Health (B.S.) and Medical Anthropology (B.A.) at theUniversity of Washington, and has worked and volunteered in a variety of nonprofit settings, including microfinance and enterprise training inBangalore and Mexico City, refugee services in Seattle, and child development in Eugene. She also worked for the Innovative Programs Research Group and the Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research at the University of Washington.
 Joanna Herrera: Joanna became the Continuing Education Assistant for MCN in July 2013. Joanna has a background in Spanish, Literature, and Women's Studies. She was born in Lima, Peru and immigrated to the US when she was three. From Los Angeles, she moved to Long Beach to pursue a BA in Journalism and Political Science. During her stay at Cal State Long Beach, she interned at UNITE HERE Local 11, working on the "Living Wage" campaign, advocating for immigrant labor rights. Continuing her goal of working in academia, she worked at the CSU Chancellor's Office in Long Beach, coordinating efforts between the Project Management Team and the IT departments. Pursuing her Latin roots and passion for writing, Joanna moved to Peru for one year documenting the lives of the women in her family. She is currently finishing her BA at Chico State in Multicultural Women's Studies. In her free time, she journals, writes screenplays, and gardens on her farm.
Cam Tran: Cam has been the Financial Associate at MCN since May 2013. Her professional background is in banking, accounts payable, and admin in a variety of industries. In 2012 she took a year off to live and work on philanthropic projects in SE Asia.She is from Washington State, and is enjoying exploring her new home in
Austin!
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Bending but Not Breaking
By: Becca Pride
Bending
But not breaking
Farmworkers hold the whole of our food in their hands and on their backs.
We reach out to provide hope and health to those hands, those backs.
Those hands and backs
That bend, but do not break.
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Health Network
Health Network is a program to establish continuity of care for mobile patients. We are currently scheduling Health Network enrollment trainings. If you are interested in this free program please contact Ricardo Garay at (512) 579-4508 or rgaray@migrantclinician.org
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The Combined Federal Campaign
If you are a federal employee, you can contribute through the Combined Federal Campaign. Our CFC number is 47463.
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A special thank you:
Spanish translation by
Joanna Herrera
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