The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration representatives Elias Hernandez, Deputy Chief Officer, WMC, Shawanda Poree, Director Healthcare Recruitment & Marketing Office, and Darren Sherrard, Associate Director for Recruitment Marketing, enjoyed a first of its kind meeting with Spanish la
nguage television networks in Miami on March 19, 2015.
The purpose of the meetings was for VHA to educate those in charge of programming at Spanish language stations on the mission of VHA and provide an understanding of the important role Hispanics play as Veterans in our Nation. Hispanic Veterans make up 19% of the population of Veterans between the ages of 17-34. Among post-911 Veterans, 12% are Hispanic. It’s also important to note that 29% of Hispanic Veterans receive their health care at VA.
This is the first time that VHA has produced a Spanish language Public Service Announcement to help recruit health care professionals, Mi Motivo Para Servir. The Director of Community Relations at Univision/Uni Mas viewed the PSA and was impressed by its message and quality.
This very productive meeting with executives from Univision/Uni Mas and Galivision increased awareness of the importance of supporting this campaign with donated airtime, which will enable VHA to increase the number of Hispanic health care providers (currently at 13%) to consider a career with VA.
In developing these relationships, VHA has opened the door to a partnership that could include guest appearances on Univision to spread the VHA mission of honoring America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being; encourage Physicians, Nurses, and health care providers to work at VA; and to encourage Hispanic Veterans to seek out VHA for their health care needs.
It is clear that VHA made a deep impression on Spanish language TV networks that will extend beyond the “Mi Motivo Para Servir” PSA.
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I think the reality is that Mexicans are trying to take over this country and it’s sad that our worthless president doesn’t do anything about. Buildi a fence, put the Army or Marines at the border and deport them all , that’s my suggestion. If i go to mexico will they cater to me?
The question of language is not about “accommodation” or “assimilation”. It is, however, about inclusion and communication. Regardless of the home language, all veterans hold one thing in common – WE ARE VETERANS. Having served, we each and all deserve the best service that can be provided. If a Spanish outreach (or a Tag-lag or French or Cantonese…) aides in that effort, by all means, go for it.
it will allways be prejudice everywhere, but what makes you weak, makes me strong, thanks for having this opportunity to broadcast in Spanish. We have always been together doing everything, still, when we get out we go back to our roots or not. I take the opportunity to request the same with Puerto Rico’s top TV stations Telemundo and Wapa TV. There is a blind spot there, which we can work out with different organithatinon and the VA Hospital which takes care of the whole Caribbean, Spanish speakers or not.
Why do we have to have Spanish speaking integrated into the VA. As a retiree getting VA care I don’t remember having any subordinates that could not speak and understand English. Of course that was only during the course of twenty five years. When I was growing up English was a foreign language in our house. We however had to assimilate because they would not accommodate. Now we MUST accommodate because some wish not to assimilate.