[caption id="attachment_232701" align="aligncenter" width="814"] Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Westside Family Healthcare's new mobile health unit. | PHOTO COURTESY OF WESTSIDE[/caption]

DOVER – Westside Family Healthcare unveils a new mobile health unit design that serves agricultural workers in Kent and Sussex counties at a ribbon cutting held by the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce (CDCC) to celebrate Agricultural Worker Health Center Day.

“While we are thrilled to reveal the mobile health unit’s new design,” says Chris Fraser, the president & CEO of Westside Family Healthcare, said. “We want to use this important moment to emphasize our on-going commitment to the agricultural community and raise awareness to the health needs of the workers that provide so much for Delawareans statewide. We are thankful for this community’s hard work to provide for Delaware, and we plan to continue to expand our services to their community to ensure they have what they need to stay healthy. We are a team-based healthcare provider, and agricultural workers are a part of that team, as they provide the food resources necessary to battle food insecurity and keep our state healthy.”

“Westside’s MSAW program and the mobile health unit provide us with the opportunity to bring healthcare services to a population that would not normally be able to have these services,” Joseph Mitchell, APRN, FNP-C, associate director of Westside's Migrant Seasonal and Agricultural Workers (MSAW) program, said. “We recognize that migrant seasonal farmworkers experience barriers to transportation that limit their access to vital care. By travelling to these patients, we overcome the barrier of transportation for many workers and their families, offering them a chance to meet with a provider, ask questions, and receive the care they need.” “The agricultural worker community works hard and provides Delaware with consistent, fresh food resources,” Mitchell said. “It’s important to recognize their efforts towards our community’s health, and make sure they have access to healthcare services they need to stay healthy during and after the growing season.”

According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, Community Health Centers now serve approximately 20% of the total estimated agricultural worker population. Westside is one of about 175 Community Health Centers to receive supplemental funding to service this population and has been a leader in the initiative to provide care to agricultural workers in Delaware.

"I was pleased to join our trusted partner, Westside Family Healthcare, to celebrate National Health Center Week and National Agricultural Worker Health Day," HHS Acting Region 3 Director Melissa Herd said. "Community health centers play a crucial role in HHS' efforts to increase access to quality health care. Westside's new mobile unit design demonstrates their commitment to serving migrant and seasonal agricultural workers in Delaware."