Arturo Hilario
El Observador
On the weekend of October 15th and 16th, Berryessa Flea Market will be host to the Open Air Health Fair which provides free health-related services, classes and assistance with insurance enrollment.
Cindy Tran is a Research Associate IV from Public Health Institute who is working locally at The Health Trust. Her work has shifted from the cardiovascular health screening area to figuring out how to best increase access to direct services at the community health fair.
Can you go over the main features that people have come to appreciate every year, as well as any new services that are being offered?
First and foremost, it’s the variety of health services offered and the comprehensive care each patron receives. Cardiovascular health screenings, oral health screenings, family health insurance enrollment and flu shots are staples at our health fair, as is our effort to ensure each patron understands his/her screening results and the actions required to maintain a healthy life. All of our patrons that require translation services (Spanish or Vietnamese) are accompanied by volunteers that walk them through the entire screening process from the moment they sign in. Furthermore, after clients receive any of our direct services, we immediately connect them with culturally competent self-management services or clinics. We also follow-up with patrons within a week after the health fair to check on them and see how we can address any barriers or issues to ongoing support.
This year, we are excited to offer two new direct services: we partnered with See The Lord to offer vision screenings and new customized prescription glasses, and with Valley Medical Center to offer asthma screenings. See The Lord is a nonprofit organization that provides sight to the underserved domestically and internationally. Valley Medical Center is a Medical Center that is part of the Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System.
What is the goal of the Health Trust and the involved organizations in providing this information and health services?
For 20 years, The Health Trust has strived to make Silicon Valley healthier for everyone. We do this by ensuring that health related policies and services exist so that race, language, income and age do not keep residents from enjoying the healthiest lives possible. That is why we partner with so many organizations to conduct our annual health fair during Binational Health Week. Improving the health and well-being of the underserved Latino population is important to us, and we are extremely grateful that there are so many organizations in this valley that share the same sentiment. Whether it’s The San Jose Flea Market housing our event or Univision promoting the event, our health fair is truly a collaborative effort that aims to improve the health of our Latino community.
Why is it important for families to visit and learn at this event? How can they find out more details year-round?
A person’s health is extremely important as it affects every aspect of his/her life. We encourage families and individuals to attend our event because everyone should know whether they have high cholesterol, need glasses or may be pre-diabetic. Knowing your health condition(s) is the first step in creating an action plan to live a healthy life. Living a healthy life is what we want for all of our clients and what we try to help them achieve.
To learn more about The Health Trust and the health fair year-round, people can follow us on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/TheHealthTrust>, sign up for our eNewsletter <http://healthtrust.org/news/enewsletter/> or visit our website <http://healthtrust.org/>. The Open Air Health Fair will be at Berryessa Flea Market on Saturday October 15 and Sunday the 16th, from 11:00AM-4:00PM.
