KENNETT SQUARE, PA — In a concerted effort to ensure vaccine equity among migrant students, LCH Health and Community Services has teamed up with the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU)’s Migrant Education program. This collaboration aims to provide vaccine referrals for migrant families who have moved to Chester County in the past three years and have minor children.
LCH, which operates three health centers across Chester County, offers a wide range of services including primary care, pediatric care, women’s health services, behavioral health, and social assistance. Their mission is to enhance the health and well-being of communities by providing high-quality healthcare. Furthermore, they offer discounted services to families lacking insurance coverage.
The CCIU’s Migrant Education program is geared towards ensuring children of migrant workers have access to educational resources. By facilitating student vaccinations, the program supports this goal, helping students meet vaccination requirements essential for school enrollment.
The partnership is expected to expedite the vaccination process for new migrant students. “With the high influx of recent migrant students into our program and Chester County school districts, we’ve had a tough time getting them up to date on their required vaccines for school,” says Mayra R. Castillo, Program Area Coordinator for the Chester County Migrant Education Program (MEP). MEP serves recent migrant students and families across eight different Chester County School Districts.
Through this initiative, students in need of pediatric vaccines will receive a referral to LCH. They can then visit any of LCH’s three health centers for care, with bilingual staff available at every location to provide language services as needed.
Kate Wickersham, Director of Development at LCH, highlights the importance of raising awareness about available healthcare options. “One of the biggest barriers to healthcare in the communities we serve is that people aren’t aware of what medical care is available to them,” Wickersham says. “The MEP is identifying migrant families who are new to the area and initiating outreach to make sure they have what they need for their school children.”
This partnership has the potential to positively impact the health of migrant students and their families in Chester County. Beyond facilitating much-needed vaccinations, it also provides an opportunity to educate parents about access to healthcare for their entire family. As such, this initiative not only addresses immediate healthcare needs but also paves the way for better healthcare awareness and accessibility in the future.
To learn more about education resources, including vaccination referrals, available through the Chester County Intermediate Unit Migrant Education program, visit cciu.org. Visit lchcommunityhealth.org to find your nearest LCH Health Center or to schedule an appointment.
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