I do not have any financial
arrangements or affiliations with
commercial sponsors which have
direct interest in the subject matter:
Prisci Quijada Orozovich,MPH
Connie Lafuente
BORDER HEALTH CHALLENGES
June 20, 2014
OBBH Core Program Background
 Established in 1999 by State Legislation (AB 63,
Ducheny) as a unit of the California Department of
Public Health Services
 Focus Area: Border and binational communities
throughout California and Baja California
3
Focus Area:
Border
and Binational
Communities In
California And Baja
California
4
With contributions and cooperation from
CDPH branches
5
Jim Arriola, MBA
President/Chief Executive Officer
Sekure Healthcare
Paula Kriner, MPH
Senior Epidemiologist
Imperial County Public Health Dept.
Rosemarie Johnson, MD
Medical Community Liasion
External Relations
San Diego Medical Society Foundation
Blanca Lomeli, MD
Regional Director, North America
Project Director TB Solution
Project Concern International
Alberto Manetta, MD
Professor Emeritus
University of California, Irvine
Gil Ojeda
Board President
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Alvaro Garza, MD, MPH
Representative
California Conference of Local Health Officers
(CCLHO)
Carmen Nevarez, MD, MPH
Vice President of External Relations
and Preventative Medicine Advisor
Public Health Institute
Mario Gutiérrez, MPH
Interim CEO
Center for Connected Health Policy
Barbara Jimenez
Deputy Director for Central and
South Regions
San Diego County Health and Human
Rose Anne Rodriguez, Esq.
Director Communications
County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health Services Agency
6
To facilitate communication, coordination,
and collaboration between California and
Mexico health officials, health professionals
and communities in order to optimize border
and binational health.
7
California Department of Public Health
Center for Infectious Disease
California Office of Binational Border Health
Chief
April Fernández
Health Program Manager II
(619) 688-0159
USMBHC-COO
Program Manager
Administrative Assistant(s)
Diane Velez (.5 FTE)
Vacant (.5 FTE)
(619) 688-0252
=Contract
Employee
Infectious Disease
Epidemiology Program
Esmeralda Iniguez-Stevens
Ph.D., MPH
(619) 688-0111
OBBH Program Manager
Prisci Quijada Orozovich
(619) 688-0218
(619) 688-0178
=CDPH
Employee
Operations & Finance
Staff Services Manager I
Maria Celaya
(619) 688-0267
Administrative
Assistant
Katiana Sánchez
(619) 688-0263
TB Branch
Comm. Disease Manager II
Anne Cass
(619) 688-0253
Border Health
Outreach Coordinator
Connie Lafuente
(619) 688-4285
Epidemiologist
Margarita Santibañez
MPH,MD
(619) 688-6483
Project Assistant
Abel Martinez
(619) 688-0154
Project Assistant
Natalie Svistoonoff
(619) 688-0142
STD Branch
HIV Partner Services
Jeffrey Egan
(619) 688-3187
CA BIDS
Imperial County
Public Health Dept.
Surveillance Officer
Maria Fierro
(760) 482-4702
Surveillance Officer
Maria Fierro
(760) 482-4702
STD Branch
Disease Intervention Section
Comm. Disease Specialist I
Patricia Gonzales
(619) 688-0234
CA BIDS
Imperial County
Public Health Dept.
Surveillance Officer
Maria Fierro
(760) 482-4702
Surveillance Officer
Maria Fierro
(760) 482-4702
Student Intern
Vacant
(619) 688-0110
9
A.)175,000
18%  B.) 120,000
16%  C.) 60,000
11%  D.) 10,000
55% 
0%
1.
5%
2.
95%
3.
0%
4.
A. Los Angeles County
B. San Diego County
C. Imperial County
D. none of the above
0%
13%
60%
28%
A.) 10.3%
 B.) 30.4%
 C.)61.2%
 D.) 80.3%

33%
0%
7%
60%
Social
 Political
 Environmental
 Health






Population Growth in both U.S & Mexico
border counties
Unemployment rates
Higher Poverty rates
Deportation
Education


Border Security
Economic






Agricultural operations
Vehicular pollution
Industrial facilities
Power plants
Dust from unpaved roads
Trash burning

Inequitable health conditions
◦ Higher rates of infectious diseases
◦ Higher rates of chronic diseases
◦ Other adverse health outcomes
17
What are our Goals &
Current Activities?
18
• Health Status Report
• Binational Infectious Disease Surveillance
•
•
•
collaboration
Influenza-Like-Illness Surveillance
Health Briefs
Binational Communication during
Emergencies
19


Mercury in Face Cream: Notification to Mexico
and Outreach Materials
Communicate and collaborate during disease
outbreaks and/or increase of cases e.g,
Meningococcal, Influenza etc.
• Meetings with Baja CA Health Officials
• Border Health Consortium of the
Californias:
To enhance communication,
coordination, and collaboration
among public, private, and
academic institutions in order
to improve the quality of life in
the border region
35 + public, private, academic
institutions

US-Mexico Border Health Commission
21
22
23






American Diabetes Association “Por tu
Familia”-2014
“Adelante Promotores” Conference to build
Capacity-July 2014
Promotores Education Conference-Oct 2014
Cervical Cancer DVD
Baja California Pediatric Oncology Conference
Jornadas Epidemiológicas
25


Collaboration with US, Mexico, and Canada to
Plan and Coordinate Binational Health Week
2014
Conference Coordination and Participation:
◦ Sexual Reproductive Health Summit-2014
◦ US Mexico Border Binational Infectious Disease
Conference-2014
◦ Adelante Promotores Conference-2014
◦ Annual Promotores Education Conference-2014
◦ National HIV/AIDS Conference-2014
26
27
28
United States-México
Border Health
Commission (BHC)
Mission
To provide
international
leadership to
optimize health and
quality of life along
the United States –
México border
Goals
Institutionalize a
domestic focus on
border health that
can transcend
political changes
Create an effective
venue for binational
discussion to
address key public
health issues at the
border



Serves as a unique binational and horizontal framework that
brings together two federal governments,10 states and a
multitude of other public and private partners to address
border and binational health issues.
Serves as a catalyst to identify, convene, and encourage
action on key strategic binational issues that also brings
focus to diverse populations.
Serves as a focal point to assist federal and state agencies in
both countries in addressing specific border health related
issues.








U.S. and México Federal
Governments
10 State Health
Departments
4 Offices of Border Health
10 BHC Outreach Offices
90 Local Health
Departments
Mexican Consulates
Binational Health Councils
Clinics, Hospitals, and
Health Service Providers







Community-based
Organizations
Promotores Organizations
Academic Institutions
Pan American Health
Organization
Border Governors Conference
National Rural Health
Association
U.S. and Mexico Media
Outlets





Operates along the busiest and most complex binational borders in
the world in support of diverse national, state, and local public
health systems.
Has limited resources to address the whole host of border health
issues
Identify unified priorities from each government
Focus health system to address chronic diseases as well as
infectious disease
Utilize comprehensive approaches that includes health care systems,
policy makers, academia, media, and public health

Focus resources to the border region

Expand focus to include preventive and health promotion strategies

Promote sustainable partnerships among various sectors
Access to Care
 Tuberculosis
Research, Data
Collection, and
Academic
Alliances
 Obesity/Diabetes
Binational Mammography Day
◦ January 1- February 1, 2014
Cancer Resource Center of the Desert- Community Symposium:
Utilization of Health Services by Mexican Immigrants With Breast
Cancer On the U.S./Mexico Border: Struggles and Aspirations
◦ September 7, 2013
Promotores Conference 2013
◦ October 18, 2013
Town hall Resource Fair- Chula Vista & San Ysidro
◦ November 5, 2013 and January 11, 2014
Border Reproductive Health Symposium
- March 19, 2014
PPPSW 5th Annual Binational Dialogue
- October 3, 2013
Affordable Care Act Webinar
- September 8, 2013
5th annual United States Mexico Border
Tuberculosis Consortium Meeting (TB
Consortium)
–July 14-15, 2014
American Diabetes Association
Promotores Training:
Prevention and management of diabetes

Vulnerable Populations Network meeting –
Imperial County
◦ July 10, 2014

Power of Collaboration
◦ August 6 & 7

Border Health Research Workgroup and
Expert panel
◦ TBD
Office of Binational Border Health
5353 Mission Center Rd., Suite 215
San Diego, CA 92108
619-688-0218
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/cobbh
40