Mejorando La Calidad de Vida(Improving the Quality of Life)
Granger, WA, 2002
The people of Yakima Valley, a community of Spanish-speaking farmworkers, warehouse workers and immigrants, face a number of economic and social hurdles. These have been aggravated by a weakened agricultural economy brought on by a drought and new, stricter changes to immigration policies introduced by the Department of Justice after the tragic events of September 11th.
Radio KDNA and the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic (YVFWC) led an effort to ease the ramifications of these events on their community by launching a mental health education campaign that integrates live call-in programs with a broad base of outreach activities, supported by an extensive website
The YVFWC, which is responsible for delivering a number of local health care services, manages a mental health component called Behavioral Health Services (BHS). Radio KDNA, with leadership from YVFWC and BHS, produced a series of monthly 60-minute call-in programs to discuss and provide positive directions on mental health issues. A YVFWC/BHS counselor hosted the program, and KDNA identified local mental health experts to be interviewed. If necessary, callers were referred to YVFWC/BHS for counseling services.
KDNA and YVFWC/BHS also produced and aired five 90-second mini-dramas on topics like domestic violence, deportation, child neglect and abuse, legal violations and unemployment issues. The depiction of events that can lead to mental health problems was translated and printed in 5,000 printed foto-brochures. These were distributed at community events such as health fairs, fiestas, church celebrations and parent school meetings.
KDNA engaged other area social, health and education organizations to provide a comprehensive approach to reaching the Latino immigrant community on mental health issues. These collaborations, coupled with the KDNA radio outreach campaign, helped alleviate local tensions and depressions felt in the wake of changes in the economy and to immigration legalization.
Contact Information
KDNA-FM
Amelia Ramon, Development Director
Tel: 509-854-2222
Yakima Valley Farmworkers Clinics
Mary O'Brien, Clinical Director
Tel: 509-453-1344
Awards:
KDNA Round One
Access to Health Care in the Yakima Valley
1999 Community Impact Award
— National Federation of Community Broadcasters
Additional Funding: from the Academy for Educational Development, and the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic a total of $73,102.
KDNA Round Two
Access to Health Care in the Yakima Valley
2000 Community Impact Award
— National Federation of Community Broadcasters
Providence Community Health Award
— Providence Health System
Washington State Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Award
— State of Washington Department of Social and Health Services
Additional Funding: $15,000 per year underwriting agreement from the State Department of Social Health Services.
KDNA Round Three
Lifetime Achievement Award to Ricardo Garcia, General Manager
—2002 Latino Radio Summit
Heroes Health Care Award to Carlos Olivares, YVFWC Executive Director
—Washington Health Foundation
Special recognition for work on diversity to Mary O'Brien of YVFWC
$4,000 to air a series of 30 minute programs on health related issues
—Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic
$57,405 to educate Latino males about the hazards of tobacco
—local chapter of the American Lung Association
$23,000 to develop education plan on tobacco use among Latinos
—Department of Health
$20,000 for HIV/AIDS education for Latinos
—Yakima Region 2 AIDSNET
$220,000 to KDNA and University of Washington for a 4-year project on environmental justice