Contact Info
Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health
The Minnesota Department of Health Refugee and International Health Program and its principal partners received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2015 to establish the Center of Excellence, a network for training and epidemiology in refugee health.
With continued funding awarded in September 2020, the Center of Excellence will expand its work as it transitions to become a Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health.
The Center builds on existing infrastructure and its partners’ extensive experience to identify and monitor newcomer health issues and needs, contribute to evidence-based policies and guidance, and ultimately improve continuity of care and health outcomes for newcomers.
Working with clinicians, state refugee health coordinators, and other stakeholders, the Center will promote communication among newcomer health professionals and disseminate of best practices.
Receive email updates from the Center of Excellence in Newcomer Heath, including CareRef, screening guidance, webinars, Immigrant Health Matters quarterly articles, and other resources.
Partners
- Minnesota Department of Health
- Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Colorado
- HealthPartners Research Institute and Center for International Health, Minnesota
- Nationalities Service Center (NSC) (2015-2021)
- Thomas Jefferson University and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- University of Minnesota
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
- The Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE)
- Various consultants
Clinical guidance and clinical decision tools
During the past five years, the Center assisted the CDC with the revision and integration of new content in various refugee screening guidance documents (CDC: Guidance for the U.S. Domestic Medical Examination for Newly Arriving Refugees). In addition, the Center developed and disseminated applications to improve clinician understanding of the screening guidance focused on Newcomer populations, support implementation of guidance-directed care, and provide training and quality improvement on best practices. The Center will leverage existing infrastructure and relationships with partners to enhance and disseminate electronic health record tools and an interactive online guidance tool for clinicians working with refugees.
Clinical guidance
- Afghan Clinical Guidance
- Ukrainian Clinical Guidance
- Ask Where: Communication Guidance for Clinicians Implementing Immigrant Child Health Screening in Primary Care (PDF)
Guidance to support conversations with newcomers when needing to ask where they were born or where they came from in a culturally sensitive way to improve health outcomes.
Clinical decision tools
- CareRef: Clinical Assessment for Refugees
- Clinical Decision Support for Newcomer Health
- To learn more about Clinical Decision Support tools, visit PolicyLab: Providing Tools for Clinicians to Better Support Immigrant Health.
- VaxRef: Immunization Record Translator
Trainings and presentations
Improving health care provider access to knowledge about newcomer health requires identification of gaps in health knowledge among newcomer health providers followed by development and delivery of educational resources to health care providers. The Center will:
- Train clinicians and service providers on newcomer health.
- Promote communication among refugee and other newcomer health professionals and dissemination of best practices.
Webinars
ECHO Colorado Newcomer Health Series
In partnership with ECHO Colorado, the Minnesota Center of Excellence will be hosting a monthly training on Newcomer health between October 25, 2022 and November 28, 2023. This series is designed to increase medical providers' knowledge of the resettlement and health issues of newcomers, including refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) populations. It will review resettlement pathways, evidence-based screening recommendations, and more common diagnoses and treatment approaches for pediatric and adult populations.
Sign up for the ongoing monthly ECHO sessions held virtually:
ECHO Colorado: Newcomer Health
Last Tuesday of the month
9 a.m. ET | 8 a.m. CT | 7 a.m. MT | 6 a.m. PT
Access recorded session and resources: Newcomer Health ECHO Resource Page
Promotional flyer: ECHO Colorado: Newcomer Health (PDF)
2023 webinars
CME credit(s) may be available to providers (physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners) who view a recorded webinar and fill out the evaluation survey. Refer to CME/CEU Requests for more information.
If you need this information in a different format, please email refugeehealth@state.mn.us.
Lead Poisoning and Pregnancy: Understanding risks and preventing harm for immigrant women, adolescents of childbearing age, & their infants (PDF)
Recorded on Monday, November 6, 2023
The recording will be posted once it meets web and accessibility standards.
Promotional flyer: Guidelines on Maternal Lead Screening for Immigrants and Refugee (PDF)
This activity has been approved for 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Minnesota Medical Association and the Minnesota Department of Health. The Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Strategies for responding to the psychosocial needs of Afghan communities: Two state approaches (PDF)
Recorded on Monday, October 2, 2023
The recording will be posted once it meets web and accessibility standards.
Promotional flyer: Strategies for responding to the psychosocial needs of Afghan communities: Two state approaches (PDF)
What Resettlement Partners Should Know About Public Health Reportable Conditions (PDF)
Recorded on Thursday, September 14, 2023
The recording will be posted once it meets web and accessibility standards.
Promotional flyer: What Resettlement Partners Should Know About Public Health Reportable Conditions: Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Webinar (PDF)
Recorded on Wednesday, June 28, 2023
The slides and recording will be posted once they meet web and accessibility standards.
Promotional flyer: Community-Based Approaches to Vaccine Confidence: Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Webinar (PDF)
Recording (June 15, 2023)
Vision Screening for Newcomer Children and Adults (YouTube)
- Slides: Vision Screening for Newcomer Children and Adults (PDF)
- Vision Screening for Newcomer Children and Adults Webinar Evaluation
Submit evaluation survey to request CME/CEU credit.
Promotional flyer: Vision Screening for Newcomer Children & Adults: Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Webinar (PDF)
2022 webinars
Recording (Dec. 1, 2022):
Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees: Tuberculosis (YouTube)
- Slides: Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees: Tuberculosis (PDF)
- Ukraine TB Evaluation
Submit evaluation survey to request CME/CEU credit.
Promotional flyer: Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees: Tuberculosis (PDF)
Recording (Oct. 12, 2022):
Afghan Arrivals: Pre- and post-natal care (YouTube)
- Slides: Afghan Arrivals: Pre- and post-natal care (PDF)
- Afghan arrival peri- and post-natal care webinar evaluation
Submit evaluation survey to request CME/CEU credit.
Promotional flyer: Afghan Arrivals: Peri- and post-natal care (PDF)
Recording (January 28, 2022):
Afghan Humanitarian Arrivals: Post resettlement stressors, coping strategies, and the Afghan Symptom Checklist (YouTube)
- Slides: Afghan Humanitarian Arrivals: Post resettlement stressors, coping strategies, and the Afghan Symptom Checklist (PDF)
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: Post-resettlement stressors, coping strategies, and the Afghan Symptom Checklist
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers.
Recording (January 20, 2022):
Afghan Humanitarian Arrivals: Leishmaniasis and Malaria (YouTube)
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: Leishmaniasis and Malaria
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers.
Promotional flyer: Afghan Humanitarian Arrivals (PDF)
2021 webinars
Recording (October 4, 2021):
Afghan Culture and Health Screening Considerations (YouTube)
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: Afghan Culture and Health Screening Considerations
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers. - Promotional flyer: Afghan Culture Health Screening Considerations (PDF)
- MMA Disclosure: Afghan Culture Health Screening Considerations (PDF)
Recording (September 14, 2021)
Part 1: Introduction to Refugee Health (YouTube)
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation – Part 1: Introduction to Refugee Health
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers.
Recording (September 24, 2021)
Part 2: Medical Screening of Refugee Children (YouTube)
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation – Part 2: Medical Screening of Refugee Children
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers.
Recording (October 7, 2021)
Part 3: Medical Screening of Refugee Adults (YouTube)
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation – Part 3: Medical Screening of Refugee Adults
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers.
Promotional flyer: Review of Best Practices and Updates to Screening Guidance (PDF)
Recording (August 25, 2021):
Revisiting Community Solutions during COVID-19 (YouTube)
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: Revisiting Community Solutions during COVID-19
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers. - Promotional flyer: Community Solutions during COVID-19: Successes, challenges, and opportunities one year later (PDF)
Recording (August 13, 2021):
COVID-19 Vaccine Journey for Newcomers: From Registration to Protection (YouTube)
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: COVID-19 Vaccine Journey for Newcomers
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers. - Promotional flyer: COVID-19 Vaccine Journey for Newcomers: From registration to protection (PDF)
Webex Recording (June 25, 2021):
Best Practices for Medical Screening of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: Best Practices for Medical Screening of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers. - The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), that manages these programs, has issued two fact sheets – Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program (PDF) and Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program (PDF) – to describe the arrival paths and the services available for these two distinct group of children.
- Learn more: About Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) Program.
MMA Disclosure: Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Webinar Series (PDF)
2020 webinars
Webex Recording (September 25, 2020):
Center of Excellence Webinar: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in Girls and Women
Diagnosis, management, ethical, legal, and cultural considerations
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in Girls and Women
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers.
MMA Disclosure: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in Girls and Women (PDF)
Webex Recording (August 25, 2020):
Center of Excellence Webinar: Addressing refugee and immigrant health in the face of persistent inequality and COVID-19
Perspectives of clinical experts
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: Addressing refugee and immigrant health in the face of persistent inequality and COVID-19
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers. - Slides: Addressing refugee and immigrant health in the face of persistent inequality and COVID-19: Perspectives of clinical experts (PDF)
MMA Disclosure: Minnesota Center of Excellence in Refugee Health Webinars (PDF)
Webex Recording (August 4, 2020):
Center of Excellence Webinar: Community Solutions during COVID-19
Effective partnership and communication strategies with refugee and immigrant communities
- Recorded Webinar Evaluation: Community Solutions during COVID-19 Evaluation
Submit survey to access proof of attendance document for CE credit if applicable. CME available for providers. - Slides: Community Solutions during COVID-19: Effective partnership and communication strategies with refugee and immigrant communities (PDF)
Webex Recording (April 28, 2020):
Center of Excellence Webinar: Hepatitis B in Refugees (1 hour)
Data and quality improvement efforts supporting improved testing, vaccination, & and linkage to ongoing care
- Questions and Answers from COE Webinar: Hepatitis B in Refugees (PDF)
- Recorded webinar evaluation and certificate of attendance: Center of Excellence Webinar Series: Hepatitis B in Refugees Evaluation
- Slides: Hepatitis B in Refugees and Immigrants: The Need for Improved Testing, Vaccination, and Linkage to Ongoing Care (PDF)
2018 webinars
Conferences
Evaluations and quality improvement projects
The Minnesota Refugee Health Program works with its collaborating sites to perform surveillance activities focused on quantifying disease incidence and prevalence among newcomer populations using the data available at participating sites or the Colorado Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health’s repository. Data from partner sites and this multi-state data repository will be analyzed to provide descriptive information about the epidemiology of both communicable and non-communicable diseases among various newcomer groups. Similarly, the Center undertakes quality improvement projects to understand the barriers to appropriate screening and follow-ups and offer practical recommendations. Learn more at Colorado Center of Excellence in Refugee Health.
These findings and recommendations are shared with clinicians caring for newcomers through a variety of dissemination strategies including publications, annual reports, integration into CareRef, maintenance of certification activities, manuscripts, and online learning.
Publications
- Hepatitis B Evaluation and Linkage to Care for Newly Arrived Refugees: A Multisite Quality Improvement Initiative
- Evaluation of a Program to Improve Linkage to and Retention in Care Among Refugees with Hepatitis B Virus Infection — Three U.S. Cities, 2006–2018
Health education
Effective delivery of refugee orientation messages requires consistency and reinforcement from all the stakeholders who support Newcomers during resettlement. The Minnesota Refugee Health Program, in partnership with the Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE) and IOM, will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including Resettlement Agencies (RAs), community-based organizations, clinicians, and members of the Association of Refugee Health Coordinators, to develop, adapt, vet and disseminate refugee orientation resources. The team will work toward consistent health messaging, prioritizing ease of delivery and innovation. The Center will:
- Develop accessible health education resources for refugees.
- Explore the possibility of enhancing a mobile application for dissemination.
- Develop and share enhanced health orientation curricula developed with feedback from new arrivals.