Mr. President. the conferees have agreed to an extension of the Migrant Health Act. H.R. 14733. For the Nation as a whole. 900 counties furnish seasonal homes. or work areasor bothfor an estimated 1.000.000 migrant farmworkers and their dependents. About onefifth of the Nations total migrants live seasonally in 117 counties of Texas. and go out from Texas. their homeland. to work the fields in other States. For a variety of reasons. migrant farmworkers and their families are the group most likely to be bypassed by national health gains. They are poor. live in inadequate housing. are often geographically isolated. belong to various minority groupschiefly MexicanAmerican and Negroand frequently lack knowledge of good health practices and of community health resources. The "channels" to gain access to health care frighten and confuse them. for they fear the sterile atmosphere of the typical clinic or hospital.
Identified stereotypes
Migrant farmworkers are poor, live in inadequate housing, are geographically isolated, and lack knowledge of good health practices.