Promoting the health of Mexican immigrant workers in the U.S. through the Ventanillas de Salud

Approximately 30% of all U.S. immigrants were born in Mexico-- about 12 million in total. About one of every ten Mexicans, and 98% of Mexicans living abroad, resides in the U.S. Governments of countries that send, receive, and transit migrants all seek to reduce the negative impacts and maximize the positive effects of migration. International cooperation is one way to do this that recognizes the positive impact of migration in both the sending and receiving countries. The Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME) operates through the 56 Consulates of Mexico in the U.S. and Canada that works to maximize the relationship between migration and development.  The Ventanillas de Salud, or "Health Windows", program in the 50 Mexican Consulates in the U.S. aims to improve health care access for Mexicans in the U.S.  Through this initiative, the Mexican Secretariat of External Relations, the Secretariat of Health, and the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health are collaborating to improve the occupational safety and health of Mexican workers in the U.S. based on a model of international cooperation.