Representatives from the Mexican Consulate Meet with LLU School of Public Health

Representatives from the Mexican consulate in San Bernardino met with Loma Linda University School of Public Health dean, Helen Hopp Marshak, and Sam Soret, Executive Director Center for Community Resilience and Associate Dean for Research, on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 2. Hugo Rene Oliva, Consul of Mexico presented a check for $36,000 in appreciation and in continued support of Loma Linda University’s management of the Ventanilla de Salud. Graciela Molina, a Public Health instructor at the school has managed Ventanilla de Salud in San Bernardino for 5 years. The Ventanilla de Salud is a program designed by the Government of Mexico and developed through the U.S. Department of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to improve the physical and mental health of mexicans living in the United States and to increase access to primary and preventive health insurance coverage and ensure culturally sensitive services in order to reduce the use of emergency services. The program has been implemented through 50 Mexican consulates in the United States and each state’s local health organizations. “The government of Mexico and Mexican Consulate has been very supportive of our work with the Ventanilla de Salud,” stated Dr. Hopp Marshak. “We look forward to supporting and managing this program for as long as they will have us.” The Ventanilla de Salud provides reliable information on health topics, counseling and referrals to health services available and accessible in local communities.