Louisiana: Program's Staff Learns Spanish

Sixteen staff members of Ryan White Title I agencies in New Orleans recently completed six months of Spanish language instruction to help enhance services to the city's Hispanic community.

"Crezcamos Juntos" was conceived by Dr. Claudia Medina, assistant director and health education supervisor at the Family Advocacy Care and Education Service program. While FACES has raised HIV/AIDS awareness among Hispanics for several years at events like health fairs, the need for Spanish-language outreach became even greater due to the arrival of more Hispanic workers in the building boom after Hurricane Katrina. FACES worked with the Mayor's Office of Health Policy to secure the Ryan White Title I grant for the Spanish-language program.

Honduran-born Dr. Oscar Salinas was program coordinator and implemented the basic Spanish lessons for staff members. Agencies taking part in the six-month program included: Daughters of Charity, New Orleans AIDS Task Force, Louisiana State University's Delta program, Excelth, Office of Public Health's HIV Outpatient Clinic, Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority, Metropolitan Battered Women, N'RPeace, Odyssey House, and the Office of Health Policy. Specialists in fields such as immigration, religion, and family issues discussed topics that are culturally sensitive to Latinos.

At the end of the course, a graduation event was held at the Children's Hospital Auditorium. "Speak slowly and clearly to the Spanish-speaking clients and show them the respect that they deserve," Dr. Maggie Silio told the graduates. Help such clients confront barriers, advised Dr. Richard Witzig, who along with Silio is an infectious-disease specialist at Tulane School of Medicine. "Empower them, give them a voice," he said.

For more information on FACES, telephone 504-821-9175 or 504-821-4611.

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