Planned Parenthood South Texas with Promotoras in Cameron County
Abstract
My 2021 summer experiential project was with the South
Texas Planned Parenthood partner program Habla Con Tu
Hermana. I shadowed under Ms. Paula Saldaña, a
community health worker and lead patient navigator at
planned Parenthood. Ms. Paula Saldaña’s job is to train other
health workers about sexual health education so they can go
out to community events to educate and inform the
community about what Planned Parenthood can offer. My
time there was spent trying to close the gap, as much as
possible, between Planned Parenthood health resources and
the communities in South Texas. Not only that but, this is
done in hopes to develop a positive community perspective
on Planned Parenthood, to reach out to all socioeconomic
groups and to decrease the high levels of sexual transmitted
disease (STD) in South Texas. I shadowed Ms. Paula
Saldaña because I am interested in the regional public health
and sexual health education in Texas, the state I grew up in.
As well as learning and teaching others about women’s
health and sexual health education. By shadowing a
community health worker and lead patient navigator, I
gained a better appreciation for the work done to improve
sexual health education and livelihood in my communities of
South Texas.