|
|
|
Department of Public Health’s Refugee and Immigrant Health Last Updated: December 8, 2003 Name of Organization/Institution: Department of Public Health’s Refugee and Immigrant Health Keywords: Immigrant Health; Patient Navigation Description of best practice: Outreach health educators serve as a bridge between the American medical and preventive culture and the newly arrived refugees’ culture of health. They educate on specific health information in the arrivals’ home setting. Outreach workers are bilingual and bicultural members of the newly arrived community. Outreach workers act as advocates and educators of the culture with the providers. Arrivals always have someone who understands not only their beliefs and practice of health but can help navigate the health care system. The outreach workers can explain particular health practice to providers. Just speaking the language is not enough to provide culturally competent care – being bicultural helps. Health education, outreach, clinical interpreting, treatment monitoring and follow-up is provided for refugees from Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union, Haiti, Cuba, Somalia, Iraq and Bosnia to control tuberculosis and hepatitis B, to increase understanding of and compliance with medical recommendations and to provide basic information to the local health care. The Program to Enhance Elder Refugee Services (PEERS) was established in October 1999 with funding from the national Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). PEERS supports collaborations between refugee and elder service organizations. These agencies work together to ensure elder refugees (aged 60 and over who are not yet US citizens) have access to the vital services they need but are often unable to access due to cultural or linguistic barriers. This program is federally funded. Relevant Materials (click to open new window): * Home page – Office of Refugees and Immigrants |
|
