Mike SwansonLess than an hour before their...

Mike Swanson

Less than an hour before their 10 a.m. Roadside English lesson at the

Laguna Day Worker Center Monday, laborers without medical coverage

lined up outside a van in the parking lot and waited for free

screenings.

Through the efforts of eight community agencies, six of which are

based in Laguna Beach, a medical van the size of a motor-home has

been providing free blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes

screenings at the center for the last two months. The Laguna Beach

Community Health Collaborative consists of the Mission Hospital

Health Ministry Partnership, Evenstart, the Crosscultural Council, La

Playa, the Laguna Beach Resource Center, the Community Clinic,

Coastal Family Therapy Services and the Laguna Day Worker Center.

“Until we’re licensed, we can only provide screenings,” said

Adriana Sayegh of the Laguna Beach Community Clinic. “We’re waiting

on the state to approve of us treating patients when something comes

up during a screening.”

Workers whose screenings reveal health problems are usually

referred to the Laguna Beach Community Clinic, Sayegh said, but

having the capability to treat patients immediately after they’re

screened will make it much easier for the workers.

“These guys need to be out here to get jobs, and the longer

they’re away the more opportunities they’re missing,” said Nathan

Peterson, a health educator in the Stop Smoking and Asthma programs

at Mission Hospital.

Peterson, who speaks fluent Spanish, made the rounds Monday

telling workers what was being offered and encouraging them to take

advantage. He also interviewed workers to figure out who has more

at-risk habits than others, particularly smokers.

“I run into a smoker every once in a while out here, but not too

often,” Peterson said. “With the kind of work they do -- hard labor

-- they really can’t afford to smoke.”

Cathy Kang of Mission Hospital organized the collaborative in 2001

to provide medical treatment and education to those in Laguna Beach

who can’t get medical coverage. While workers and others in Laguna

have been receiving free screenings for the last two years, the van

is allowing members to think in broader terms.

“We want to serve the entire area of South Orange County, from

Irvine to Aliso Viejo to San Clemente,” Sayegh said. “Right now, [the

Day Worker Center] is probably our busiest site, and we hope to keep

spreading and getting busier.”

Sayegh said they routinely screen up to 60 people per day. The

busier they are, the happier she is.

“We aren’t here only for these guys,” Sayegh said. “Laguna Beach

is full of artists and self-employed people who don’t have medical

coverage. We’re here for anyone who needs the help.”

David Peck, president of the Crosscultural Council, called the

program the collaborative’s most effective according to the demand of

its clientele.

“It’s so great that we have this all ready to go now, because the

population of those who need it’s so huge, especially here at the Day

Worker Center.” Peck said. “We have lots of classes and programs

scheduled through this year, but this one draws the most people.”

The collaborative holds classes on topics from depression to anger

management and provides flu shots and HIV tests every month at all

eight sites. Doris Leffingwell and other volunteers, meanwhile,

continue to run the Roadside English Program at the Day Worker Center

every weekday at 10 a.m.

Peck echoed Sayegh’s sentiments that he and other members of the

collaborative hope to get only busier with classes, screenings and

other programs that help those in Laguna Beach and elsewhere who need

it most. Kang organizes monthly meetings involving all members of the

collaborative to schedule and coordinate all of its programs.

The medical van has to be parked in Irvine every night, Sayegh

said, which she hopes will change, but she isn’t holding her breath.

“We all know how easy it is to park in Laguna even with a compact

car,” Sayegh said. “We’ve looked, but nothing here’s been able to

accommodate a vehicle this size. We’re grateful that Irvine found a

spot for it, but it’s hard trying to rush it back by 5 every day.”

She said South Coast Medical Center tried to help them, but there

wasn’t enough room on its site to even turn the van around.

“We lost all hope there,” Sayegh said.

Fortunately for the collaborative and for those who benefit from

its programs, parking its van is one of its biggest problems.