Milestones at BayHeal November 2015-March 2016

1. November 2015-December 2015

-Applying Public Health Science to synthesize what works e.g., continue redesigning learning tools such as list of venues and events where Africans in the Bay Area live and socialize.

-familiarizing excursion around the  San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California first, last Sunday and Thursday of every month.

- Improve on  list of Universities, Education Institutes, Colleges and Schools where Africans go to.

NB. Bay Area Healthy Living and Communication Support as a distinct health information, education, communication, equity and disparity stop gapping organization. Not to replace or replicate what "other civil rights" organizations are doing. This is an "essential" commodity/ consumer services organization.

Provided report to UCSF/ACTG/CAB end of year meeting.

JANUARY 2016- APRIL 2016

- Continuing with the research work

-Travel to meet Africans in the Bay Area ( Richmond, Dublin-Pleasanton, Millbrae, San Jose, San Rafael, Oakland, Daly City and San Francisco). So far, we have used 77 events to talk about health, physical activity and nutrition to immigrants.

- Provided 5 telephone-based talks on Zika virus as part of on-going Maternal, Infant and Child Health (MICH) Initiatives.

- Sent proposal to International AIDS Society to present a mentoring session at Durban, South Africa in July 2016 on Immigrant Health.

- Engaged in continued advocacy efforts to delineate and identify characteristics of intentional and unintentional transmission of HIV. Try to design tools to empower partners in partner notification skills and negotiated safer sex practices and rights/responsibilities surrounding consent to sexual intercourse. This is in preparation to the National HIV is Not a Crime Conference in Alabama in May 2016.

- Engaged with the San Francisco County Population and Health Division during a support and empowerment meeting prior to a training in Durban, South Africa in July 2016.

Continue with health advocacy............

Making immigration friendly and fun: FACTSHEET

Welcome to Bay Area Healthy Living Support  and Communication Platform.

BayHeal in short!

As we write this, at least 2,240 African Immigrant leaders have been told about this blog since November 2015.

At BayHeal, our mission (briefly) is to empower immigrants in the Bay Area to access healthy living skills as well as providing resources on Support Services in the Bay Area.

Our areas of intervention since November 2015:
a. Mental Health Services; where we have managed to link 12 beneficiaries to mental health support services.
b. Medical Check-ups; where we escorted 14 beneficiaries to hospitals as a way of reassurance.
c. Diet and Nutrition Panning; where we provided 72 talk sessions on dieting and nutrition planning.
d. Exercise and Play; we have provided 123 telephone based conversation with beneficiaries on aerobics and sports to encourage physical exercise among immigrants.

Bay Area Healthy Living Support and Communication Platform is an officially registered organization with the State of California.

The model of engagement is by working with existing African communities. It combines a snowball and peer-driven linkage contact mechanism.

We have so far identified venues and activities engaged in by different African Immigrant sub-groups.
a. West Africans meet during the food and culture shows mainly at Berkeley BART Station.
b. Tanzanians meet under the auspices of the Lutheran Faith based Community activities in Oakland.
c. Ugandans meet during the African Martyrs' day celebration as well as Uganda independence day in Oakland, Palo Alto and Antioch.
d. Kenyans meet during their community self help meetings called Harambee in San Leandro, Richmond, Concord and Oakland.
e. Zimbabweans, Zambians, South Africans meet during an annual award meeting and cultural fares. The most recent was in San Jose and at San Francisco Public Library.
f. Mozambicans and Angolans meet at Silver Spoons and there they have a music band.
g. Congolese, Eritreans and Ethiopians have dedicated and registered organizations in Oakland and San Francisco. They meet regularly at these venues.
h. Eritreans in San Francisco and Alameda Counties have established coping and resilience structures managed by their chosen leaders.
i. Ethiopians in San Francisco, SunnyDale and Bayview areas have established senior support services to meet the needs of aging Ethiopian-Americans.
j. The different restaurants and corner stores owned and run by African immigrants will act as pick up points for IEC materials on health (physical and mental), physical activity and nutrition.
k. Eritreans and Somalis as much as other immigrants celebrate their mother country's independence days. This is an ample time to meet and greet the community members.

We have used scientific approaches to engage African Immigrants in owning skills to demand or avail themselves the different health promotion services.

We have mapped out a range of biological, social, environmental and physical factors linked to health promotion. We used this to continue counseling and encouraging healthy living.

We have consulted with experts and practitioners in different areas to develop and synthesize a working model for information sharing to improve connectivity by African immigrants in USA.

Working with immigrants is fulfilling and hopefully our efforts help provide desire for living a positive quality life for all.

We shall use this blog to provide written reports or documents as a way of keeping the information flowing.

Thank you

Patterns in Zika Virus Testing and Infection, by Report of Symptoms and Pregnancy Status — United States, January 3–March 5, 2016

INTRODUCTION:

Zika virus is a flavivirus primarily transmitted by Aedes species mosquitoes that has recently spread in the Region of the Americas . From January 1, 2015 to April 13, 2016, a total of 358 travel-associated cases of Zika virus disease were reported from U.S. states, 351 of which were in persons who traveled to or moved from areas with active Zika virus transmission (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html). Most Zika virus infections are asymptomatic or cause mild clinical disease. Among persons with clinical illness, signs and symptoms commonly include one or more of the following: fever, rash, arthralgia, and conjunctivitis. Zika virus infection during pregnancy has been causally linked to congenital microcephaly and has been associated with other adverse pregnancy outcomes, including pregnancy loss. CDC recommends that persons with possible exposure to Zika virus receive testing if they have symptoms of Zika virus disease within 2 weeks of exposure. On February 12, 2016, CDC recommended that health care providers offer testing to asymptomatic pregnant women with possible exposure to Zika virus.

To read more: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6515e1.htm?s_cid=mm6515e1_w

Making immigration friendly and fun: Milestones From June 2015-October 2015

Welcome to Bay Area Healthy Living Support  and Communication Platform.

BayHeal in short!

At BayHeal, our mission ( briefly) is to empower immigrants in the Bay Area to access healthy living skills as well as providing resources on Support Services in the Bay Area.

Our areas of intervention since January 2015:

a. Mental Health Services; where we have managed to link 8 beneficiaries to mental health support services.

b. Medical Check-ups; where we escorted 4 beneficiaries to hospitals as a way of reassurance.

c. Diet and Nutrition Panning; where we provided 12 talk sessions on dieting and nutrition planning.

d. Exercise and Play; we continue to provide information on nearest aerobics and sports facilities to encourage physical exercise among immigrants.

Bay Area Healthy Living Support and Communication Platform is an officially registered organization with the State of California.

The model of engagement is by working with existing African communities. It combines a snowball and peer-driven linkage contact mechanism.

We have so far identified venues and activities engaged in by different African Immigrant sub-groups.

a. West Africans meet during the food and culture shows mainly at Berkeley BART Station.

b. Tanzanians meet under the auspices of the Lutheran Faith based Community activities in Oakland.

c. Ugandans meet during the African Martyrs' day celebration as well as Uganda independence day in Oakland, Palo Alto and Antioch.

d. Kenyans meet during their community self help meetings called Harambee in San Leandro, Richmond, Concord and Oakland.

e. Zimbabweans, Zambians, South Africans meet during an annual award meeting and cultural fares. The most recent was in San Jose and at San Francisco Public Library.

f. Mozambicans and Angolans meet at Silver Spoons and there they have a music band.

g. Congolese, Eritreans and Ethiopians have dedicated and registered organizations in Oakland and San Francisco. They meet regularly at these venues.

We are so thrilled to have contributed to the Welcoming America. Building Nations of neighbors' Community Consultation Report. Our contribution was specifically talking about hardships faced by undocumented persons who happen to have arrived in USA. We also talked of need to have clear transitioning counseling for asylees and refugees. We also contributed towards a general theme representing what it means to be new in America.

Working with immigrants is fulfilling and hopefully our efforts help provide desire for living a positive quality life for all.

Thank you. 

Milestones at BayHeal February 2014-June 2015: Strategic Plan 2014-2015

1. February 2014

• Compiling and Mapping a list of venues and events where Africans in the Bay Area live and socialize.
• familiarizing excursion around the Bay Area first and last Sunday of the month.
• Making a list of Universities, Education Institutes, Colleges and Schools where Africans go to.
• The idea of Bay Area Healthy Living and Communication Support as a distinct health information, education, communication, equity and disparity stop gapping organization. Not to replace or replicate what "other civil rights" organizations are doing. This is an "essential" commodity/ consumer services organization.
• Designed an inception note.
• Designed a yearly strategic volunteer plan to meet and greet Americans and Africans.

2. March 2014

• Field excursion to generate health needs for Africans following the Ebola Epidemic in Africa.
• Borrowed $ 1,900 from Mr. Selwyn Jones to help me meet the expenses of meeting and talking to Africans in the Bay Area.
• Joined the UCSF/ACTG/CAB as a volunteer.

3. April 2014

• Purchase a Toshiba laptop to use during research and note taking in the field.
• Purchase a mobile Phone to provide communication link with various respondents.
• Continuing with the research work

4. May 2014-September 2014

• Travel to meet Africans in the Bay Area ( Richmond, Dublin-Pleasanton, Millbrae, San Jose..).
• Compare experiences with San Rafael, Oakland, Daly City and San Francisco.
• Ebola Epidemic continues to affect the way Africans socialize and work.
• Volunteer with African Advocacy Network as a health Strategist.
• Press conference and awareness raising on impact of Discrimination, Ebola and need to engage Africans and Americans in conversation/dialogue to address misconceptions.
• A draft of the Bay Area Healthy Living Support and Communication Platform ready.
• Literature review on immigration health in USA and California.
• Drafted and disseminated Key Informant Guide questions among Africans living in Bay Area.
• Work on a social calendar that lists places and social events in which Africans are seen in large numbers continues.
• A template for Universal Social and Cultural Events for Africans in the Bay Area emerges. (USEs/UCEs). This can be used as a mobilization tool.

5. October 2014-June 2015

• Designing a front loader organization, easily managed that will not be bogged down by rhetoric and no action once we start implementing.
• Identifying African originated  viable Community based Social Organizations or Venues ( E.g. Angola/Mozambique singing group that meets at Silver Spoons-24th/Mission; Balboa Restaurant; Ashkenaz in Berkeley; Kenyan Community Harambee in San Leandro, Castro Valley, Richmond; Ugandan Community in Antioch, San Rafael; Berkeley, Oakland;  Zimbabwean Community in San Jose; Nigerian/Ghanaian/Sierra Leonean/Gambian Communities; Tanzanian Communities meeting at the Lutheran Church in Oakland; the Islamic Mosques as meeting places for various Africans & Sports/Recreation/Music/Dance/Drama as a galvanizing entity for Africans especially Eritreans, Somali and Ethiopians; using Radio and Facebook by Ugandans, Kenyans, Nigerians, Sudanese and South Sudanese).
• Identifying and scouting for Board of Directors to report to and help galvanize leadership to results as well as value for money outputs.
• Interacted with, asked the support, help, or guidance of: Professor Annie Luetkemeyer, Dr. Paul Volberding, Dr. Hiroyu Hatano, Paul Klees, Jack Beck, Austin Padilla, Goma Bobo, Samuel Mwangi, Dr. Kiapi Sandra, Dan Katende, Githongo Watua, Derrick Mapp, Jay, Mike Ochieng, Bhamira Augustine, Vasco Da-Gama, Lopez M. and other eminent persons.
• Registered as not-for-profit (CORP ID: 3790333).
• Plan to have bank account
• Share June 2015-May 2016 Strategic Plan( office Space, Key/Resource Tool, Training African Leaders & engaging service providers.
• Fundraise
• Resource mobilization
• Received our Tax ID/EIN: 47-4266549.

Immigrant Health Resources in USA brought to you by Bay Area Healthy Living Support and Communication Platform

We bring you 5 aspects that will help you make better decisions about how you can benefit from an array of health services in USA. Remember quality, longer life is possible when you engage in health seeking practices. At BayHeal, we emphasize diet, play and mental health.

The United States of America's CDC has information on immigrant health. It is not just a collection of reports but guidance for all service providers. Our editors bring some resources on immigrant health in USA. By immigrant we mean: refugees, undocumented persons in USA, asylum seekers and visitors. For more information, see link below:

1. http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/index.html

Bay Heal will bring you State-level or Community based health service points and venues through a compiled key or desk review or a diary. As much as possible try getting individual mandate, an employer mandate, expansion of publicly funded insurance, or a combination of these. Remember Insurance policies affect immigrants’ health care experiences and, subsequently, their health status. 

There are implications for access, quality, and cost of care for immigrants. For more on this:

2. http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/26/5/1258.full

You can have health insurance plans and this next link shows you how to negotiate a personal policy. Yes, you need to polish your teeth ( dental care), may be you need a transplant and your basic insurance does not cover it?

This link is for you or your family:

3. http://www.immigrationhealth.com.

The term comprehensive immigration Reform in USA should interest you our reader. We feel this link is very helpful:

4. http://genprogress.org/voices/2010/11/04/15975/weekly-diaspora-immigration-reform-falls-to-the-gop

As an immigrant ensure you get in the employable bracket please. The employment rate (the percentage of the population that has a job) is a far better indicator of the health of the economy than the unemployment rate (the % of those seeking jobs that don’t have one). People with jobs are what supports the economy and the mere fact that someone removes themselves from the workforce does not make the economy healthier. In fact, the percentage of the population that is not in the labor force is at its highest level in 36 years. In both January and February 2015, the seasonally unadjusted labor force participation rate was 62.5%. That means that 37.5% were not participating in the labor force[2]. The last time the labor force participation rate sunk to these levels was in 1978, when it was 62.8%. for more on this, the link below will throw more light on the subject:

5.http://soundbytes2.com/2015/03/18/how-healthy-is-our-economy

6. http://www.cis.org/HealthCare-Immigration

We hope to become the one stop point for health issues among African immigrant populations in USA.

This organization promotes healthy living among African Immigrants

EDITORS' WALL

Having interacted with Africans and recent immigrants from Africa in the Bay area for one full year, from January 2014 to May 2015, I have tried gathering information on number of immigrants from Africa living in the entire Bay Area. Anecdotal information estimates give about 30,000 African, Atlantic & Indian ocean Islands-born immigrants above 21 years live in the entire Bay Area. In presenting this note I hope to reach out to whoever can support the desire for promoting practices that in turn improve on quality of life, mental-health and nutrition of beneficiaries (whose population estimation was arrived at anecdotally).

Africans who are new in America are faced with challenges that in turn affect the way they access health care services and the way they engage in healthy living.  A paucity of tailored and funded programs catering to  essential ‘diet, play and mental health’ among Africans has left them to access other integration and social services which are well funded but subsume the need for a stand-alone DPM program.  This is a gap that can be filled by a dedicated communication for behavior change. This is what Bay Heal was founded to do.

The fifteen Health needs among recent immigrants from Africa

1. Popularizing registration for Health Insurance-Medical.

2. Popularizing registration for Health Insurance-Dentical.

3. Access to/ and making popular the usage of such programs like; RAPID (Rapid Anti-retroviral Program Initiative for new diagnoses).

4. Mobilization towards contributing population group in the San Francisco ground zero to HIV initiative (“a first city in the world with no new infections, no stigma and no deaths”).

5. Getting involved in initiatives that erase financial and social barriers to get tested and treated for HIV/Hepatitis/STIs (e.g., benefiting from early ARV initiation, “universal” testing and avoidance of beachheads).

6. Building structures against stigma related to attending hospitals and other tendencies towards excuses to avoid hospitals or health care initiatives (e.g., using African community “elders,” “mama,” “uncles” and community/social events).

7. Initiate a poster person as a drive targeting long-stay Africans (who are now residents) and new immigrants from Africa on the path to documented residents.

8. Families with under-21 year olds need to know and be attached to “under 21 clinics" and Nutrition education.

9. Play and recreation as one way to maintain manageable body-mass index.

10. Negotiating the benefits’ structure following a given diagnosis.

11. Negotiating and accessing services of a well-mother/woman clinic for women/females.

12. Mapping out and networking with other service providers

13. Design/disseminate good Diet, Play and Mental Health (DPM) information, education, materials.

14. Develop Frequently Asked Questions along these or any other health outcomes..

15. Establish an executive Staff and Resource Center.

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Contact the Editors:

Bay Area Healthy Living and Communication Platform

1230 Market Street #150

San Francisco, CA 94102

E-mail: bayheal@gmail.com