The Siskiyou County Public Health Department in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications held its second annual wellness fair in the city of Tulelake.
The Oct. 1 event drew a crowd of local residents, including many of the area’s sizable farmworker community.
More than 40 state and local organizations came together to offer free health and wellness screenings, wellness resources, routine immunizations for flu, Tdap, and COVID-19, along with information on various community programs and services.
Representatives from the Mexican Consulate were also available to provide resources for H-2A workers, referring to agricultural employees working in the country on a temporary basis.
“I feel hopeful that we’re setting a precedent,” says Yajaira Ramirez Sigala, community outreach specialist with the Western Center for Agricultural Health & Safety at the University of California, Davis, noting she and her team are helping residents better understand MediCal eligibility requirements and services.
Last year California rolled out an ambitious plan to extend free health care coverage to all residents, including the state’s more than 2 million undocumented residents.
“You can no longer continue to ignore this population,” Sigala stressed.
Video by Manuel Ortiz/Peninsula360 Press