Migrant Education Health Program
Free advocacy and outreach activities.
To help migratory children and their families.
Migrant Education Health Program
Access to health, nutrition, and social services.
To help migratory children and their families.
Migrant Education Health Program
Access to community resources.
Direct preventive services or treatment on an emergency or one-time basis.
Migrant Education Health Program
Serves as a referral service.
And provides information and/or services to migrant families.
Migrant Education Health Program
Serves individuals ages 0 through 21.
Learn more at: http://health.msdr.org
Information for Migrant Parents
The Migrant Education Health Program (MEHP)
The Washington State Migrant Education Health Program is a collaborative partnership model design to:
- Provide advocacy and outreach activities for migratory children and their families free of charge.
- Inform and help these children and their families gain access to health, nutrition, and social services through contracted healthcare providers and partnership agencies.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instructions (OSPI) works with local school districts and other entities to provide health resources across the state.
Who is a migrant child?
Individuals ages 0 through 21, who are:
- Enrolled in school.
- Have moved with or without family, from a school district, county, state, or country to another.
- Are seeking, or have sought, temporary or seasonal employment in the agriculture, dairy or fishing in the last three years.
What type of services does the program provide?
The Migrant Education Health Program can help migrant families gain access to community resources or provide migrant students direct preventive services or treatment on an emergency or one-time basis*. Some of these services include but are not limited to:
- Physical examinations ─ including sports physicals.
- Dental exams.
- Vision and hearing evaluation.
- Eyeglasses.
- Immunizations.
- Community health education ─ for parents, students, and school staff.
- Homelessness support.
- Food security.
- Mental health services.
- Other medical referrals.
What is an emergency one-time treatment?*
Medical Disclaimer: If you think you have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. Do not rely on electronic communications or communication through this website for immediate, urgent medical needs. This website is not designed to facilitate medical emergencies.
An emergency or one-time treatment includes, but is not limited to:
- Infections
- Fractures
- Open wounds
- Tooth extractions/repairs
- Behavioral intervention needs (e.g. threats of abuse, neglect, suicide, etc.)
Given the level of costs sometimes associated with health services, and the limited availability of funds and the requirements in the statute of the Migrant Education Program, state and local educational agencies should explore all other sources of funding with migrant health clinics, migrant health voucher programs, and community health centers to defray service costs before using Migrant Education Program funds.
What type of services does the program not provide?
The program does not cover or provide ongoing or long-term health services, unlike a conventional ongoing health care plan. The design of the program is intended to provide preventive services given the limitation of MEP funding and federal limitations. Some of these services may include:
- Non-emergency surgeries.
- Treatment of chronic illness or diseases.
- Orthodontia (e.g. Braces).
How can you access services?
Speak with your school district’s Migrant Education Program to determine a student’s eligibility. Once eligibility is determined, a certificate of eligibility is granted to begin receiving services.
The Migrant Education Health Program serves as a referral service as it collaborates with community resource agencies in providing information and/or services to migrant families.
For more information regarding eligibility for the migrant program, please call 1-800-274-6084.
Privacy and Data Sharing
The protection of migrant students and their privacy is a serious obligation.The Family Educational Rights and policy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that requires schools to get permission from a parent or eligible student (a student who is at least 18 years old or is enrolled in a college or university) before the schools release data that personally identifies that student.
FERPA allows for the sharing of student information without permission in certain instances where there is a legitimate educational interest, such as when:
- Determining financial aid.
- Developing, validating, or administering predictive tests.
- Administering student aid programs.
- Local, state, and certain federal representatives conduct an audit of or evaluate a school’s educational program.
For more information, please contact:
Armando Isais-Garcia
Migrant Education Health Program Supervisor
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Ph: 360-725-6159 | email: armando.isais-garcia@k12.wa.us