PASOs Best Practices for Providing Outreach Services to the Newly Immigrated Hispanic Population of South Carolina

In South Carolina, the Hispanic population has grown rapidly over the past two decades. Between 2000 and 2010, it increased more than any other state. PASOs is a community-based reproductive health program that is tailored to the needs of the newly settled immigrant population and addresses the disparities and gaps in services faced by Hispanics in SC. In 2010, PASOs was named a “Promising Practice” by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP). The majority of the participants in PASOs prenatal programs are young (between 20 and 30 years old), low income ($15,600 annually), and have less than a high school education. Most come from rural Mexico, have lived in the US for less than 10 years, and do not have health insurance. Due to these factors, this population needs support in learning to navigate an unfamiliar health care system, and providers need guidance to effectively provide services. The program respects Hispanic cultural values and conducts efforts in a way that can be understood, supported, and adopted by the community. PASOs efforts include outreach, education, partnership and advocacy focused on prevention and resource navigation. Over the years, PASOs has responded to the Hispanic diversity in the state by incorporating community and agency feedback to develop a set of best practices for working with rural and urban hard-to-reach Hispanic populations in SC. This session will highlight best practices that guide PASOs outreach efforts by providing an overview of the outreach strategies employed by PASOs across the state.