Whereas, Bi-National Health Week events provide immigrant workers and their families with medical screenings, healthcare referrals, treatment services, and information about disease prevention; and,

Whereas, Since its inception, Bi-National Health Week has expanded from seven Mexican states and 7 California counties to 33 California counties, 17 Mexican states, 25 states in the United States, as well as the District of Columbia, and three provinces in Canada; and,

Whereas, In 2005, more than 116,000 people received at least two health interventions during the week and 45 percent reported that it was their first health intervention since they came to the United States; and,

Whereas, Bi-National Health Week is a collaborative effort between the California-Mexico Health Initiative, the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, Mexico's Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and Secretariat of Health, the Mexican Institute of Social Services, the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission, more than 1,000 volunteers, and over 700 organization; and now therefore be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim the week of October 7, 2006, as Bi-National Health Week.