THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA DESIGNATING OCTOBER 7-15, 2006AS

BINATIONAL HEALTH WEEK

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This measure would call on all the people of San Mateo County to join the people of Mexico, Central America, and all Californians of Latin American origin in observing and participating in the Sixth Annual Binational Health Week, to take place the week of October 7 to 15, 2006.

WHEREAS, The Secretariat of Health and the Secretariat of Foreign Relations of the United Mexican States, the California State Department of Health Services, the Health Commission of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME), the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission, and the University of California, California-Mexico Health Initiative (CMHI), have recognized the necessity of improving access to health services to migrant/immigrant workers and their families in the State of California; and

WHEREAS, over fifty percent of California’s new immigrants are people of Mexican and Central American origin and ninety-one percent of California's agricultural workers were born in Mexico; and

WHEREAS, according to the United States Census Bureau, over thirty-two percent of San Mateo County’s population is foreign born of which over thirty-six percent are from Latin America; and

WHEREAS, Binational Health Week reflects coordinated efforts between California and Mexico to improve the quality of life of immigrant families by expanding their access to health care, increasing their health insurance coverage, and reducing their unmet health needs; and

WHEREAS, the objective of Binational Health Week is to generate a dynamic dialogue between California and Mexico with the vision that “the health of California is the health of its immigrants":

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED, that the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors hereby calls on all the people of San Mateo County to join the people of Mexico and all Californians of Latin American origin in observing and participating in Binational Health Week, October 7 to 15, 2006.

Dated: September 26, 2006

SUPERVISORS:

JERRY HILL, PRESIDENT

MARK CHURCH

RICHARD GORDON

ROSE JACOBS GIBSON

ADRIENNE J. TISSIER

Attest:

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Deputy Clerk of the Board of Supervisors