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Refugee Health Community Partners and Sponsors
A brief overview of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Refugee Health Program (RHP), the Minnesota Refugee Health Assessment, and information regarding health requirements for humanitarian parolee arrivals. This page is for community partners and sponsors assisting newcomers with health care needs. Clinical screening guidance can be found at Refugee Health Care Provider Resources.
On this page:
About the MDH Refugee Health Program
About the Refugee Health Assessment
Scheduling a Refugee Health Assessment
Health insurance and other benefits
Health requirements for humanitarian parolees
Resources for newcomers and sponsors
Contact us
About the MDH Refugee Health Program
The Minnesota Department of Health Refugee Health Program works to promote and enhance the health and well-being of newcomers in Minnesota. We do this through:
- Ensuring timely health assessment, treatment, and referral for all new refugee arrivals to the state.
- Educating health care professionals on best practices in refugee health.
- Offering technical assistance, education, and resources to local, state, and community partners.
- Providing leadership and guidance to refugee health professionals in other states; and promoting public health practices and policies that further our mission.
Minnesota Refugee Health Program (PDF)
One page flyer describing the mission of the Minnesota Department of Health Refugee Health Program and how to connect with our program.
For more information, visit Refugee Health Program: About Us.
About the Refugee Health Assessment
The Refugee Health Assessment (also known as the Domestic Medical Exam or Refugee Health Screening) is an important part of resettlement. This health examination is to help arrivals be as healthy as they can be and get connected to health care, and it has NO effect on immigration status. The Minnesota Refugee Health Program and partners are available to coordinate the health examination for qualified newcomers.
The Refugee Health Assessment is a special medical appointment for people that are newly arrived to the United States. The Minnesota Department of Health Refugee Health Program trains the health care providers who do these clinic visits to provide the best care possible to newcomers to the country. The health care providers will also refill medication and help ensure newcomers have a primary doctor and can go to specialty doctors if needed (like a heart doctor or orthopedist). Typically, a Refugee Health Assessment takes 1-2 clinic visits.
A Refugee Health Assessment involves many different things that are not usually done by health care providers during normal clinic visits. This includes testing for and treating illnesses that are more common in different countries and reviewing immunization and medical records from other countries.
Newcomer groups who are eligible for Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) benefits may receive a Refugee Health Assessment. This includes:
- All primary refugees and most secondary refugees
- Amerasians
- Asylees and Derivative asylees (family members joining asylees)
- Certified Victims of Human Trafficking
- Cuban and Haitian entrants (including humanitarian parolees)
- Humanitarian parolees from Afghanistan
- Humanitarian parolees from Ukraine
- Special Immigrant Visa holders
Refer to the table in the health insurance and other benefits section for more information. If you have a question about eligibility, please reach out to us at refugeehealth@state.mn.us.
A Refugee Health Assessment is a very important step to make sure newcomers are able to successfully settle in the United States, since it is hard to live, work, and play when you are not healthy. This visit provides the best care for people who are new to the country by health care providers who have been specially trained. Health care providers in Minnesota have done thousands of these visits and enjoy helping new Americans be as healthy as they can be.
Health care providers should be trained by the Minnesota Department of Health to do these assessments. If you call your local doctor, they may not know what this assessment is and may not have been trained. We have many providers around the state who do these visits, and local public health clinics help coordinate the visits. If you are a refugee health care provider interested in providing Refugee Health Assessments, please contact us at refugeehealth@state.mn.us.
Yes. These clinic visits are covered by Medical Assistance (Minnesota Medicaid). If someone is denied Medical Assistance, the Minnesota Department of Health pays for the visit.
No. This visit is only to help new arrivals stay healthy and has no effect on immigration status.
No. A green card (adjustment of status) exam is done for people who are eligible to become permanent residents, normally after they have been living in the United State for at least a year.
Scheduling a Refugee Health Assessment
Minnesota has a large network of clinics that can perform Refugee Health Assessments. We will work with the local public health office (county or regional public health office) in the newcomer’s county of residence to help coordinate this visit. You cannot schedule this visit independently and must work with our office and local public health in your county.
To connect with local public health, please fill out a health referral on our confidential referral system:New Arrival Notification and Screening Referral
How the process works
Sponsor/supporter fills out the New Arrival Notification and Screening Referral form
Minnesota Refugee Health Program refers newcomer to local public health
Local public health reaches out to sponsor/supporter
Local public health works with sponsor/supporter and clinic to schedule Refugee Health Assessment
Health insurance and other benefits
Refugees and certain humanitarian parolees are eligible for the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement's Refugee Benefits and should apply for health insurance, cash, and food assistance at the local county social services office (DHS: Minnesota tribal and county directory) or MNsure (health insurance). If the person or family you are helping does not qualify for insurance, they may be able to receive a free health screening with assistance from the Minnesota Department of Health Refugee Health Program.
Status | Eligible for ORR-funded benefits* | Immigration-required Tests to Maintain Parole (TB, vaccines) | Eligible for Refugee Health Assessment | Refer to MDH through health referral database** |
---|---|---|---|---|
Asylee | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Humanitarian Parolee | ||||
Afghans - OAW arrivals1 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Cuban entrants2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Haitian entrants2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Nicaraguans3 | No | Yes | No | No |
Ukrainians - U4U arrivals4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Venezuelans3 | No | Yes | No | No |
Other parolees (Ecuadorians, other nationals admitted at the border) | No | No | No | No |
Family Reunification Parole | ||||
Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras nationals5 | No | Yes (done overseas) | No | No |
Certified Victim of Human Trafficking | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Refugee | ||||
Privately sponsored (Welcome Corps) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Reception and placement (resettlement agency assisted) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) | No | No | No |
*Includes medical assistance if other eligibility requirements met, including income and residency. If not eligible for Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) benefits, please refer to county services for assistance in applying to other benefits.
**New Arrival Notification and Screening Referral
1ORR Policy Letter 22-01: Afghan Humanitarian Parolees and Unaccompanied Afghan Minors Eligible for ORR Benefits and Services; ASA-Eligible Afghan Populations
2ORR Benefits for Cuban/Haitian Entrants
3ORR Dear Colleague Letter 23-13: Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans
4ORR Policy Letter 22-13: Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees Eligible for ORR Benefits and Services
5USCIS: Family Reunification Parole Processes
Health requirements for humanitarian parolees
Humanitarian Parolees may have health requirements associated with their parole status within 90 days of arrival. For more information on these requirements for newcomers, please visit:
Health Requirements for Arrivals with Humanitarian Parolee Status
Ukrainian | Cuban & Haitian | Nicaraguan & Venezuelan | Clinic resources for humanitarian parolees
Resources for newcomers and sponsors
Minnesota resources:
- Alight: Become a Welcome Corps Sponsor
Private sponsor organization assisting sponsorship groups in Minnesota. - Refugee Health Program: About Us
Information on Minnesota’s Refugee Health Program, Minnesota’s health screening protocol, medical exams for refugees, immigration definitions, and ongoing activities sponsored by the program. - Resettlement Agencies
Local, federal, and international organizations supporting refugees, including local resettlement agencies. - Resettlement Programs Office at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)
- Minnesota DHS: Refugee Programs
Information about Minnesota's resettlement program, resettlement network services, health insurance, and food and cash assistance. - Family Assisters (PDF)
DHS Refugee Resettlement Program-funded community-based organizations connect families to community resources, including employment, ESL courses, housing, application assistance, and immigration.
- Minnesota DHS: Refugee Programs
National resources:
- Welcome Corps
Information about the U.S. Department of State’s Welcome Corps program, a private sponsorship program through which Private Sponsor Groups can welcome refugee newcomers. - CORE Resources for Community Partners and Sponsors
Cultural orientation toolkit and other resources for community partners and sponsors. - Refugee Welcome Collective
Sponsors, community members, and newcomers can find resources and training on newcomer sponsorship programs. - Settle In
Resources for newcomers on life in the U.S. and the U.S. resettlement process. Information is available in 12 languages. - Welcome.US
Sponsors and community members can find introductory information about the newcomer sponsorship programs.
Contact us
Minnesota Department of Health Refugee and International Health Program
- Email: refugeehealth@state.mn.us
- Phone number: 651-201-5414