Edmonds CC supports first Latinx Health Careers and Job Fair, May 8

Edmonds Community College will be among other local sponsors supporting the first Latinx Health Careers and Job Fair presented May 8 by the Latino Center for Health at the University of Washington.

The fair will be held from 3-7 p.m. at the University of Washington’s South Campus Center, 1601 NE Columbia Rd., Seattle, 98195.

According to Latino Center for Health, there is a scarcity of bilingual and bicultural clinical providers, researchers, and public health professionals to meet the health needs of the Latinx population in Washington state.

The center said Latinxs often experience multiple chronic diseases and stressors which further complicate their health, and they account for a significant proportion of the overall population in the state, yet lack access to health services that meet their unique needs.

The delivery of culturally and linguistically responsive services to the diverse Latinx communities across the state will contribute significantly to the reduction of health disparities in this population and the state’s overall public health.

“This careers and jobs fair is in response to the needs expressed by our community partners and allies,” said Rosa Peralta Landin, executive director of Latino Center for Health. “Our partners signaled that there is a lack of bilingual providers to serve the significant growing Latinx population across the state of Washington.

“For example, in Yakima, the Latinx community now represents over 50 percent of the total population, and they are sorely lacking health care professionals to serve the needs of the community.”

Peralta said the center is committed to establishing workforce and training pipelines in partnership with academic institutions and community agencies to train and mentor practitioners and health researchers.

Latinos currently comprise 13 percent of Washington state’s population. The state has the 12th largest Latino population in the U.S.

“With the projected continued growth of Latinos in this state and large numbers of aging Latinos with limited English proficiency, the need for bilingual health care providers of all kinds will only increase,” said Dr. Leo Morales, Center for Latino Health co-director.

The Latinx Health Careers and Job Fair is a statewide collaboration with representatives from Edmonds Community College, Latino Center for Health, Molina Healthcare of Washington, Sea Mar Community Health Centers, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, UW Institute of Translational Health Sciences, UW Medicine - Center for Diversity and Inclusion, UW School of Dentistry, and Yakima Valley Farmworker’s Clinic.

Latinx serving health care agencies and institutions looking to hire a bilingual and bicultural workforce will be present to discuss job opportunities with students and job seekers alike.

Participating employers include community health clinics from Benton, Franklin, King, Snohomish, and Yakima counties, county and federal health departments, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, the Institute of Translational Health Sciences, statewide health care insurers, and the schools of allied health professions from the University of Washington and local community colleges.

“We are proud of our partnership with service providers, academic, private, and government organizations and stakeholders across Eastern, Central, and Western Washington to make this event possible for the good of all Washingtonians,” Peralta said.