Working with Refugees in Minnesota

Working with Refugee Families in the Child Welfare System

Authors
Patricia Shannon, PhD, LP
Jennifer Simmelink, MSW

This module provides information about the major refugee groups in Minnesota, the Karen, Bhutanese, Oromo, Somali, and Iraqi. It provides political and cultural context for these groups as well as information about factors that impact them in the child welfare system. It also includes recommendations for child welfare workers who work with these populations.

NOTE: CEU credit is not available for this module because it can be completed in less than 30 minutes.

Follow the link below to watch the presentation.

Watch the module on  Working with Refugee Families in the Child Welfare System

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Health Literacy: Implications for Immigrant and Refugee Families

 

Authors:
Hee Yun Lee, PhD

This modules explores the relationship between health literacy, health outcomes, and health disparities with special attention to children and families and immigrants and refugees.  It provides specific examples of how health literacy can affect health outcomes and offers interventions to respond to health literacy needs and to reduce health disparities.

Follow this link to watch the module.

 

Taking the Quiz and Earning Continuing Education Hours (CEHs)

At the end of this module, you will be given a choice to connect to the quiz for the module.  Upon successful completion of the quiz (80% or above correct), there will be a link to a secure site to pay a minimal fee for the CEHs and receive a CEH completion certificate.  The module has a value of 1 CEH ($15.00).

Back to Online Learning Modules page

 

USCIS Warning Regarding Scam Targeting Bhutanese Refugees

Cite as “AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 12010564 (posted Jan. 5, 2012)”

From: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ACF)
Dear friends,

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has been alerted to a new telephone scam apparently targeting Bhutanese refugees. A man identifying himself as a representative of the “Federal Grants Department” calls from a Washington, DC-based telephone number, (202) 436-9601, informing recently resettled refugees that they are eligible to receive $10,000 because they are refugees from Bhutan. To claim the money, they are instructed to produce a money order for $650, and call the telephone number for further instructions on where to send the money.

Be advised that this is NOT a legitimate solicitation.

At least one refugee has been coerced into making multiple payments as “processing fees”, totaling more than $5,000.

So far, reports are localized in Texas, but ORR advises everyone to be aware of this scam and avoid giving any personal information or payments to unknown callers.

Please note that the federal government does not demand processing fees or security deposits from grant recipients. If you are the target of a suspicious request, please contact your local police or resettlement agency for further assistance.

Please share widely within your own networks.

Thank you,

ORR

 

EHDI Grant provides support for foreign-trained health care providers to gain licensure

Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative (EHDI) grant to AAFACD succeeds in moving three foreign-trained health care providers closer to licensure!

African & American Friendship Association for Cooperation and Development (AAFACD) Inc. in partnership with Women’s Initiative for Self-Empowerment (WISE), implements one of the first EHDI grants addressing social determinants of health to assist foreign trained health care professionals in obtaining licensure and further integrate and diversify Minnesota’s healthcare workforce to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate health care services.

Currently, there are over 200 identified foreign trained healthcare professionals (FTHPs) in the AAFACD/WISE database.  The partnership provides outreach, advocacy and now collaboration with key decision makers at the University of Minnesota. This has led to the successful inclusion of EHDI-FTHPs into the second round of Preparation for Residency Program.

Preparation for Residency Program (PRP), first sponsored through State Legislative appropriation in early 2011, is a seven month externship program at the University of Minnesota Medical School. The program enables foreign trained physicians who have passed all the required U.S. Medical Licensure Exams (USMLE) to apply for residency. The first three physicians to benefit from the program successfully completed it in four months and were immediately accepted into residency.

Funding from OMMH enables AAFACD/ WISE partnership to leverage funding from State, federal agencies, and local foundations to increase the success of the participants in their program. The $200,000 three year implementation grant for Social Determinants of Health – has helped to provide FTHPs with increased knowledge, networking and visibility by means of community outreach, health literacy/education, advocacy and mentorship. The grant also empowers the FTHPs by providing financial resources in order to complete their exams in a shorter time period.

Three of the four selected physicians are EHDI beneficiaries and all are from communities of color: Dr. Adalberto Torres-Gorrin (from Cuba), Dr. Khem Kumar Adhikari (from Bhutan) and Dr. Mahamud Jimale, is a Somali refugee who came to the US over 10 years ago. The fourth is Dr. Said Tawil, an immigrant from Jordon.

 

Bhutanese: New Refugee Group in Minnesota

The following is an informational brief from Culture Care Connection, an online learning and resource center, aimed at supporting health care providers, staff, and administrators in their ongoing efforts to provide culturally-competent care in Minnesota.

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In 2008, the U.S. began to resettle 60,000 Bhutanese refugees, with nearly 500 Bhutanese settling in the Twin Cities area (primarily in East St. Paul, Minneapolis, Roseville, and Lauderdale). Although a small, isolated country located in the Himalayan mountain range between China and India, Bhutan has generated one of the highest numbers of refugees in the world in proportion to its population. Most Bhutanese refugees in Minnesota are originally from Southern Bhutan and belong to the Lhotsampas (“loh-CHAHM-pahs”) ethnic group. The Lhotsampas have been living in refugee camps for nearly 20 years.

Learn more about other cultures in Minnesota at www.culturecareconnection.org.

 

Grants and Jobs

Click the “more link” to view info on:

• Health Care Innovation Challenge
• The Refugee Childcare Microenterprise Development Project
• Job Posting: Citizenship Education Community Connector
• DC Policy Advocate – Hmong National Development
• Operations Assistant – MN Council of Non-profits (Apply by Dec. 22)