A force for justice in health care for the mobile poor

MCN a Force for Justice in Healthcare for the Mobile Poor

MCN is the oldest and largest clinical network for the mobile underserved. Since our inception in 1984 we have worked to eliminate health disparities among migrant and seasonal farmworkers and other vulnerable mobile populations. To support more than 5,000 clinician constituents, MCN provides professional education, peer networking, access to research, clinical tools and best practices, and works to further clinical leadership among those serving the mobile underserved.

MCN is governed by a board of directors consisting of medical and dental directors, clinicians, and health professions educators with expertise in direct care and health center administration in settings serving special populations. The work of MCN is accomplished by a professional staff of over 40 employees and contractors. Of the employees, 16 are headquartered in Austin, TX, with an additional 6 individuals contracted for work in the field for specific programs. Of the 22 employee staff members seven are clinicians with experience in caring for migrant patients. Ninety percent of the MCN staff is bilingual (English/Spanish).

MCN relies on a large and diverse assortment of collaborative relationships to provide the highest quality services to our constituency. Among MCN’s most important partners are the federally funded health centers nationwide as well as other clinical sites serving migrants that do not receive federal funding. Additionally, MCN has a number of collaborative relationships with organizations and institutions outside of the traditional migrant health community including universities, state, regional, and local health departments, Primary Care Associations, Area Health Education Centers and national clinical organizations.

MCN has created superior products and services that health centers consistently choose; used technology to its fullest advantage; helped health centers become more innovative and resilient; worked to strengthen and reinforce their ability to change; focused on long-term improvement and vision; and maintained the flexibility to respond to yet unidentified needs of health centers.

MCN was founded thanks to the efforts of three dedicated clinicians. The three met at the 1984 Annual Migrant Health Conference and discovered a common link as they shared their feelings of personal isolation and dismay at the lack of migrant-specific resources available to clinicians. As a result, a grassroots clinical network consisting of clinicians dedicated to improved healthcare for migrant farmworkers came into being. In 1985 with seed funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration the Migrant Clinicians Network was formed. MCN has since evolved into a formal network and continues to flourish with numerous partnerships and associations, diversified funding, and an active constituency. In 2003 MCN broadened its mission to include the full range of migrants in order to respond to the changing demographics of the mobile underserved. Today MCN is a force for justice in healthcare for the mobile poor.