Check out the September 2023 RIM Newsletter here.

San Ysidro Health is a non-profit organization committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities they serve with access for all. They focus on providing high-quality, compassionate, accessible, and affordable healthcare and support services for patients of all ages. NACCHO had the opportunity to sit down with Besma Coda, Project Manager for the Health and Promotion Department, to learn a little bit more about their work with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities. San Ysidro’s network expands across San Diego County, California and they serve around 600 square miles regions in this area.

“The East Region Refugee Community COVID Prevention Project is designed to increase education access, acceptance of COVID-19 testing and vaccination among refugees residing in San Diego County in the East Region,” said Coda.

Although they already have a grasp on how to deal with COVID and COVID fatigue, their goal is to reach more refugees and immigrants in San Diego communities. Another goal of San Ysidro is to provide community education to reduce the COVID-19 infection rates and increase access to reliable resources. Vaccine hesitancy encompasses more than just COVID- they also strive to provide education surrounding other vaccines, like the flu vaccine for example.

Coda also mentioned that their community health workers act as trusted messengers from within the communities they serve.

“They are uniquely connected with the patients due to their shared life experiences,” said Coda.

These community health workers serve as a liaison to both the community and within the internal team at San Ysidro.

Coda mentioned using several different outlets to implement health literacy interventions. Some outlets include social media, radio, and livestream. “We livestreamed every workshop we did. That way not only our community in town, but also people around the country and overseas, were watching our workshops,” said Coda.

Coda explained that San Ysidro Health brought in other agencies, such as the county of San Diego, the school district, and local hospitals. By “bringing all of these community organizations, we helped them to bridge the community to the RIM population,” said Coda.

So, what’s the key to success according to Coda? “Empower their knowledge and provide the best resources.” That is what makes a successful organization.

To learn more about San Ysidro Health, check out their website here.