Staff members from each of the clinics are able to travel to and provide many services at the work sites of migrant farm workers. Duquette reports that migrant and seasonal workers usually respond positively to these mobile clinic appearances at work sites, and many workers use services provided by the Proteus program. Environmental stressors work together to put migrant worker populations at increased risk for serious health problems. Poor housing, limited sanitation facilities, inadequate diet and substandard health care also contribute to poor migrant worker health. Occupational health issues also present problems for migrant workers.
Agriculture is considered one of the most hazardous occupations in the country.
Proteus employees are trained with a range of skills in order to help migrant workers receive improved health care and other critical services. Proteus employees are specifically trained in employment counseling, relocation assistance for families who want to set up a permanent residence in Iowa, assessment of basic health care needs, and referral to a comprehensive set of health and social services to meet migrant needs. Successfully providing services for migrant workers also requires careful attention to cultural differences and social structure within migrant families. The consortium represents and helps maintain a statewide network of public and private agricultural health and safety organizations. Located on the UI Oakdale Research Campus, I-CASH's key objective is to reduce illness and injuries among Iowa's agricultural population.