Addressing health and social-determinants of Emerging Refugee Communities in Colorado

Emerging Refugee communities are now significant part of our Asian-Pacific Islander and African population of Colorado. A large proportion of such people consist of refugees, assigned to Colorado, for resettlement. These people are from: Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Sudan, Laos, Cambodia, and Somalia. These immigrants are from countries where the national culture is dramatically different from that of the United States (US) so they need immediate and comprehensive support as soon as they enter the US society for permanent settlement. These special needs arise in part due to the post-traumatic stresses they may have endured before coming to the US and the extreme hardships encountered in creating and maintaining good health. Interventions to mitigate and normalize acculturation stress can help eliminate disparities among these health immigrants. It is determined that physical and mental health services need to be co-located; clinic staff members and case managers were experienced in working and communicating with culturally diverse populations. Working with case managers and several clinic staff members allows multiple opportunities for psychological assessment; and Fourth, community clinic staff members and administrators, case managers, community leaders with their organizations, and the Department of Public Health's' Refugee Program was in partnership with community based organizations that can support the above framework.