Ventanilla de Salud (Health Windows) is a program that improves access to preventive health care, health education, and public health screening at Mexican consular offices throughout the US. There are 5 Ventanillas in AZ (Douglas, Nogales, Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma).  The Ventanillas are operated jointly by the Department of Health of Mexico (Secretaria de Salud de México) and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores de México).

Their health education mission includes providing information about diabetes, obesity, hypertension, mental health, substance abuse, women’s health, domestic violence, birth control and health insurance.  Nationwide 1,182,760 people accessed services in 2013 and another  2,718,617 received educational information and referral to community health centers or received early detection results.

The Program has had an important influence on the relationship between Arizona and Sonora by strengthening ties between the two states through the delivery of health information.  You can find out more about the Ventanillas, including Locations and Health Information on the Ventanilla de Salud website— and make sure you add this to your list of community public health prevention partners.