Marisa Aguilar, a staff member with the migrant education and work program, addressed the meeting about efforts to reach Spanish-speaking agricultural workers with substance-use treatment and prevention services. “Yo me llamo Marisa Aguilar con el programa de migrantes” she said, identifying her role and the program’s focus on education and work services for migrants.

Aguilar said the program has provided outpatient treatment and other supports in the San Luis Valley for about 18 months. “hemos estado ahí 18 meses,” she said, and described the program’s work on substance-use and alcohol treatment as well as culturally tailored outreach to help people access care.

She urged broader public outreach to make services visible. Aguilar recommended using television and other platforms to inform migrant communities and cited producers who have discussed agricultural programming as possible partners. She also asked that her materials be converted to PDF for wider distribution.

To improve access, Aguilar proposed remote-care options and technology access, including tablets and iPads, so farmworkers who cannot access traditional psychotherapy can still receive services and learn English. “a veces hacemos actividades con ellos acceso a cuidados … disponibilidad de iPad,” she said.

Aguilar emphasized a language gap: many clients are Latino and she said she is the only Spanish speaker on her team, arguing that Spanish-language access can help close gaps and connect people to treatment and services. “tenemos latinos y yo soy el único que habla español,” she said.

She also said the program plans to introduce a prevention program for young people, linking evidence-based practices with specific communities and stressing cultural sensitivity in delivery. Aguilar invited local agricultural organizations holding annual meetings in January and February to meet with the program and community members.

The remarks were delivered as public comment and did not include requests for formal board action. Aguilar referenced recent legislative filings related to behavioral health but did not specify bill numbers. The presentation closed with an appeal for broader outreach, improved language access and technology-enabled care to reach migrant agricultural workers in the San Luis Valley.