Congrats to our Health Ambassadors

In an effort to improve the health conditions of our local Cambodian and Latino residents and the overall well-being of our community, The Cambodian Family has hosted the first Community Health Ambassador training series to equip our local residents with the knowledge and tools to become strong health advocates for themselves, their families and their community.

The trainings commenced in July 2013 and ended in August 2013. For six weeks, the series covered six critical health issues commonly identified in our community and leadership skills ranging from Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes, Mental Health, the Affordable Care Act and Covered California to Health Navigation and Community Advocacy skills to build the capacities of our thirty volunteer Community Ambassadors to engage in their community to address healthcare issues within their families and neighborhood.

The trainings were conducted in English, Khmer, and Spanish with culturally and linguistically sensitive materials and demonstrations that are relevant to our diverse participants. Our Ambassadors also had an opportunity to receive health screenings during their training.

The program concluded with a graduation ceremony. At the ceremony, Community Health Ambassadors and their families were congratulated by The Cambodian Family’s Executive Director, Sundaram Rama, the Orange County Health Care Agency’s Program Supervisor, Joseph G. Vargas, and The Cambodian Family’s Health Program Director, Mike Murtaugh, for their effort and interest in being strong advocates for the promotion of the health of their family and community. Successful participants were awarded with the Certificate of Completion from The Cambodian Family and the Orange County Health Care Agency as well as the State of California Senate’s Certificate of Recognition from the Office of State Senator Lou Correa.

The event was also covered by a local Cambodian TV channel called Khmer TV. The Cambodian Family would like to acknowledge CalOptima, AltaMed, Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation, OCAPICA, Santa Ana Building a Healthy Community, the Office of State Senator Lou Correa, the Orange County Health Care Agency, and other community partners for their immense support, contribution and collaboration for this program. We look forward to working with our community partners for the opportunity to host our 2^nd Community Health Ambassador Training.

This training is made possible through the support of the Federal Office of Minority Health and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, which promotes The Heart Truth®, a national women’s heart disease educational program. Funding for The Heart Truth is provided by individuals and corporations, including Diet Coke, Belk Department Stores, and Swarovski. (The Heart Truth is a registered trademark of HHS.)

For further information about this program, please contact Vattana Peong, Health Program Coordinator at 714-571-1966 ext. 115 or vattanap@cambodianfamily.org.