User:Darooster3k/Health Initiative of the Americas

Health Initiative of the Americas (HIA) is a Latino health rights organization focusing mainly on migrant and immigrant issues. It is part of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. It is also commonly known by its Spanish name, Iniciativa de Salud de las Américas.

HIA works in collaboration with seven Latin countries: Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

History
HIA began as the California-Mexico Health Initiative (CHMI) in January 2001 as part of the California Policy Research Center at the University of California. The Initiative was created with the intention of education Mexican immigrants and migrants about health issues and working to give them greater access to health care. As the Initiative grew, several other Latin nations began to contribute to its efforts. In 2007, CHMI became HIA to better represent the seven Latin countries it now partners with.

Binational Health Week
HIA is the primary coordinator of Binational Health Week (Semana Binacional de Salud in Spanish) in the United States, which traditionally takes place in October. The annual event began in 2001 when seven counties in California first celebrated Binational Health Week in collaboration with Mexico. In 2008, Binational Health Week reached more than half a million people in eight countries and 38 U.S. states. Additionally, 10,377 agencies participated in Binational Health Week activities.

The 2009 Binational Health Week will take place from October 3-15. The inaugural event will take place in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico on October 5-6, and the closing event will take place in Antigua, Guatemala on October 9. All seven of HIA's partner countries will participate, as well as 40 U.S. states and 3 provinces in Canada.

Promotoras Binational Exchange Program and National Conference
HIA also orchestrates an annual exchange program of Promotoras/es between the United States and Mexico. Promotoras are health outreach workers, often without any formal training, who teach their populations about health and social issues. .

During the exchange program, Promotoras from Mexico visit California, where they are hosted by their Californian counterparts to learn and share experiences. Conversely, Californian Promotoras are hosted by their Mexican peers to achieve the same objectives.

HIA also hosts the annual Promotoras National Conference, where Promotoras from both the U.S. and Mexico come together to discuss issues of concern for Promotoras. . The 2009 Promotoras Conference was held at the Greater Bay Area office of The California Endowment in Oakland, California.

Leadership
Dr. Xóchitl Castañeda - The director of HIA, Castañeda has published dozens of scientific works in various journals and publications. She previously served as the director of the Department of Reproductive Health of Mexico and as an instructor and researcher at the Mexican National Institute of Public Health. In 1999, she was awarded the National Research Award on Social Science and Medicine.

Rosario Alberro - Currently serving as associate director. She previously worked for Mexico's National Ministry of Education and the Research and Publishing Department of the Institute for Adult Education before joining the Initiative in 2001. In addition to her duties as associate director, Alberro is also the Grant Coordinator of HIA's Binational Research Program on Migration and Health and serves as the Health Commission Coordinator of the Institute of Mexicans Abroad.

Partners and Benefactors
HIA works in conjunction with several different national organizations in various countries, and receives funding from the University of California, Berkeley and other non-profits. Among their partners are:


 * El Instituto de Los Mexicanos en el Exterior (IME)
 * The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
 * The Secretariat of Health of Mexico
 * The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Mexico
 * The California Endowment
 * California Department of Health Services
 * California HIV/AIDS Research Program
 * California Program on Access to Care (CPAC)