Initiating a Relationship between a Local Health Department and the Latino Community in a Non-Traditionally Diverse County

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania recently experienced the emergence of a Latino community.  Since 2000, there has been a 50% increase in the Latino population. According to 2013 census estimates, there are now 22,167 Latino residents representing about 2% of the total County population. Historically, the Latino population has only accounted for a small proportion of the population and there has been little effort to understand their health needs. In 2014, as part of the community needs assessment, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) initiated a dialogue with members of the Latino community in order to understand their health concerns.   Lacking staff and language capability, ACHD connected with colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh who were actively involved with the Latino community. These individuals acted as ambassadors to engage the community and provided ACHD with consultation on the development of a Latino community meeting. ACHD gathered data relevant to the Latino community, and translated materials into Spanish. Publicity channels included local churches, Spanish language radio show and community newsletters. The meeting was conducted in Spanish and co-led by ambassadors. Residents attending represented 5 Latin American countries (Cuba, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Columbia) as well as Puerto Rico.  The resulting recommendations included: (1) improve visibility of ACHD services; (2) gather data about Latino health outcomes; (3) improve accessibility of translation services; and (4) provide public health education opportunities. This community meeting was a critical first step in building trust with a newly emerging Latino community and develop an agenda for future work.