Check out the February RIM Newsletter here.

Located in the eastern region of San Diego, also known as El Cajon, lives a vibrant community of refugee, migrant, and immigrant (RIM) people – more specifically, Afghan, Mexican, and African communities. San Ysidro is a non-profit organization committed to providing high-quality, compassionate, accessible, and affordable health care services for this community. Initially established by seven women in 1969, 50 years later, San Ysidro now has over 50 clinics and serves over 108,000 people through a vast and integrated network of 47 program sites across San Diego County, including medical and dental clinics, behavioral health centers, HIV centers, WIC nutrition centers, mobile medical units, school-based health centers, chiropractic services, pediatric developmental clinic, teen clinic, senior health center and Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).

In July 2020, it was reported by Channel 7 San Diego News that San Ysidro had one of the highest numbers of coronavirus deaths.

Besma Coda, Family Resource Center Manager for San Ysidro, stated, “Access to healthcare, employment rates, housing stability, education levels, and the need for social connection” are factors for the sky-rocketing COVID-19 rates within this community.

In light of the COVID 19 pandemic, San Ysidro continues to be a prominent beacon within the communities they serve. In partnerships with San Diego Refugee Communities Coalition, License to Freedom, and United Women of East Africa, San Ysidro provides RIM communities with COVID-19 resources and tools through clinic navigation, provider training, community outreach, and most importantly, culturally appropriate health education from the community members and health providers while remaining linguistically inclusive. One of the most profound activities San Ysidro performed through the RIM grant (RCCPP-NACCHO) was their COVID-19 presentation at the Afghan Community Center on February 7, 2022. The RCCPP-NACCHO workshop was watched by 2,700 people and translated into four languages: English, Arabic, Farsi, and Dari. San Ysidro continues to positively impact the RIM communities living within their community by centering their work around health education, cultural competency, and language inclusivity.