The purpose of the Farm Worker Outreach Resource Center (FORC) is to assist the farni worker family in overcoming barriers to health care in order to promote and improve the overall health status of the farm worker family and create a health support system for the family tlirough preventive health education, case management, education and training, and information and referral services.
 
 

The established Resource Center will provide a centralized physical location for assistance to farm worker famihes, in a location that is accessible, at a time that makes the services available and in a way that is compatible to their needs.
 
 

The primary services to be provided will focus on REFERRAL to appropriate public and private agencies, EDUCATION AND TRAINING for improved personal health and skills building, and COUNSELING through family case management and support.
 
 

The Resource Center is not only a unique approach to addressing the needs of farm workers due to its focus on the total needs of the family, but one which does not duplicate existing services in the area. The Resource Center most importantly complements those direct services of health and social service agencies by its coordination and collaboration with all public and private agencies in the community.
 
 

There continues to be a critical need to develop new approaches to serve the farm worker family. In addition to their unique employment characteristics and their complex health and social probiems, the impact of near-term state and federal policy changes will affect the farm worker directly. The welfare/immigration reform legislation as an example will result in more confusion regarding program eligibility requirements and access to such programs, making the FORC system an important part of the health and social service delivery system.
 
 

It is estimated that there are approximately 10,000 farm workers in the state of New Mexico with the largest concentration of farm workers (app. 3800) being in Dona Aria County. The counties of Dona Aria, Luna and Sierra account for over 65% of the state's farm worker population. The Resource Center is proposed to be located in Dona Ana County.
 
 

The estimated baseline costs for one Resource Center is from $65,000 to $75,000.
 
 

Other public and private funds will be sought for support and expansion of the Resource Center and to replicate these services in other counties. All sectors of the comrnunity have been and will continue to be included in the development of these plans.
 
 

The Farm Worker Outreach Resource Center is a first step in a process which can lead farm worker families to a semblance of economic and personal self-sufficiency through improvement in th~ir health status, educational level, farm and non-farm related job skills, and their economic condition.
 
 

For additional information please contact the New Mexico Border Health Council at (505) 646-7966.

New Mexico Border Health Office District III, Public Health Division 1170 N. Solano, Ste. L Las Cruces, NM 88001 Phone: (505) 528-5156 Fax: (505) 528-6045 Toll free: 1-800-784-0394 bho@nmsu.edu

This page best viewed with Netscape 4.0+

New Mexico's motto is Crescit Eundo     (It Grows As It Goes) Last Modified: Monday, October 29, 2001