Striving for La Vida Buena y Sana and Latino Health Equity

A health forum scheduled next month is dedicated to the exchange of innovative ideas, best practices, and advancement of la vida buena y sana—a good and healthy life—for members of the Latino community. Now in its 11th year, the Latino Health Forum attracts healthcare experts and activists serving Latinos in the Pacific Northwest to participate in open dialogue and forums on current topics affecting the health of Latinos on regional, national and international levels.

The forum is scheduled on Monday, October 20, 2016 (8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center. The event is hosted by Sea Mar Community Health Centers and sponsored by a wide range of community partners.

The forum is a valuable platform for individuals working in healthcare, social justice, public policy and for those working with underserved Latino populations. Participants will have the opportunity to meet and network with practitioners, researchers, and community activists currently impacting the field of public health. Individuals will gain valuable resources and skills geared towards shaping health policy and creating greater health equity for Latino populations here in the Pacific Northwest region.

Innovative approaches for Latino health equity is the overall theme. The keynote speaker is Carmela Castellano Garcia, president and CEO of the California Primary Care Association. Castellano’s topic is “Policy and Practice Cultivating a Passion for Social Justice and Latino Health Equity.”

The host for the forum will be Kyle Davidson, who directs population health management at Sea Mar Community Health Centers. The forum features a number of other experts and practitioners with years of experience in health, human services, and immigration policies and practices. Topics include:

• Effective Community Based Approaches Closing the Mental Health Treatment Gap in Latino Communities
• Important Considerations in Addressing the Healthcare Needs of the Latino LGBTQ Community
• Health Policy and Community-Engaged Interventions: Addressing the Social Determinants of Health for Latinos
• Community Partnerships: Developing the Latino Workforce Pipeline

The forum provides undergraduate and graduate students with academic training and career development opportunities designed to motivate and prepare them for careers in Latino health equity and research.

For more information, visit www.SeaMar.org/latinohealthforum or e-mail TabithaGross@seamarchc.org. Register to attend at https://11thannuallatinohealthforum.brownpapertickets.com.

Contributor Barbara Rodriguez coordinates communications at Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human and housing services to diverse communities that specializes in service to Latinos. Sea Mar serves nearly a quarter-million people per year with services in 11 counties in Washington state. Sea Mar operates 34 medical clinics, 22 dental clinics, and 31 behavioral health clinics, and also offers a variety of human and educational services. Learn more at www.seamar.org.