Communities Concerned for Immigrants and Refugees: A Network for Learning & Action Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services Division of Public Health Office of Health Disparities & Health Equity Josie Rodriguez, Administrator Helping People Live Better Lives. 1
Vision Health Equity for all Nebraskans Mission Improve health outcomes for culturally diverse populations in Nebraska Helping People Live Better Lives. 2
Core Functions * Promote awareness of health disparities * Provide minority health data * Promote cultural intelligence/fluency * Promote community outreach * Collaborate with stakeholders Helping People Live Better Lives. 3
Percent Distribution of Nebraska Population by Race/Ethnicity, 2016 Two or more races,Non- Hispanic Hispanic 10.7% 1.8% NHPI*, Non-Hispanic 0.1% Total Nebraska Population 1,907,116 Asian, Non-Hispanic 2.4% Total Nebraska Minority Population 389,590 America Indian, Non-Hispanic 0.8% Black, Non-Hispanic 4.7% White, Non-Hispanic 79.6% * Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Source: US Census Bureau, 2016 Population Estimates Helping People Live Better Lives. 4
Total Foreign-Born Population: 120,417 Percent of Nebraska Population: 6.5% Source: 2010-2014 American Community Survey Helping People Live Better Lives. 5
TOP REFUGEE POPULATIONS IN NEBRASKA Helping People Live Better Lives. 6
Helping People Live Better Lives. 7
COUNTY MINORITY POPULATION: NEBRASKA 2010 Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census Helping People Live Better Lives. 8
WORK TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN NEBRASKA • Minority Health Initiative Funding • Refugee Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey • State Health Improvement Plan - Health Equity Priority • Improving data collection efforts Helping People Live Better Lives. 9
EFFORTS TO SERVE IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN NEBRASKA Minority Health Initiative Funding – specifically for minority populations in Nebraska • Funding allocated by Nebraska Legislature • Funds originally from tobacco master settlement dollars • $1.58 million annually • Distributed on per-capita basis to counties having a minority population equal to or exceeding 5% of the total population based on most recent decennial census. • Available to 1 st and 3 rd congressional districts of Nebraska • Funding also for FQHC’s in Cong. District 2 Helping People Live Better Lives. 10
MHI - INNOVATIVE WORK • Specifically address chronic diseases • Funding for Community Health Workers • Integration of public health and primary care • Address Social Determinants of Health Issues - access • Funds support screenings and other needs • Organizations address Cultural and Linguistic Appropriate Services Standards Helping People Live Better Lives. 11
INNOVATIVE WORK ¡ Community Health Worker training offered by State of Nebraska – Free ¡ Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey completed with refugee population in Nebraska ¡ Project Purpose: to identify health related key risk factors for Nebraska’s refugee communities ¡ Work with refugee community partners to complete the surveys ¡ Funding allocated to community-based organizations to address access and other issues that affect health – Public Health and Health Services Block Grant funding ¡ Refugee resettlement program works with organizations to increase awareness of needs of refugee populations ¡ Refugee leaders sit on Statewide Health Disparities and Health Equity Advisory Council Helping People Live Better Lives. 12
INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY WORK TAKING PLACE IN COMMUNITIES Lexington Regional Hospital ¡ Somali and Spanish interpreters available 24-7 on-site; ¡ CHW’s hired that work to address access and social determinants of health issues ¡ Routine cultural training to all staff to educate on cultural differences and how this may/may not impact healthcare choices; ¡ Health Education to different cultures at their location of preference; ¡ Increase staff awareness of cultural differences regarding how care is performed ¡ Education to staff on their holiday of Ramadan as due to fasting, their energy conservation is affected and will affect their performance in therapy; ¡ Education to patients on pain and the mechanism of pain; in some cultures it is thought to be a 'reason it is happening to them' per their belief. Helping People Live Better Lives. 13
INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY WORK TAKING PLACE IN COMMUNITIES Lutheran Family Services • Community Health Workers to assist with needs and access issues • Increase refugee health literacy so that refugees can navigate the health system independently and maintain a long-term healthy lifestyle • Increase refugees' access to regular and long-term medical and mental health care services beyond initial refugee medical screenings – Peer support training • Increase refugees' access to mental health support resources through peer support or refugee support groups • Increase providers' ability to serve refugees with culturally- and linguistically- appropriate care Asian Center • CHW’s hired to work with refugees to assist in addressing access issues • Placing nurse at cultural center a few hours a week to assist with health needs and improve access to Medicaid Helping People Live Better Lives. 14
Josie Rodriguez Administrator, Office of Health Disparities and Health Equity Josie.Rodriguez@Nebraska.gov 402.471.0152 http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/healthdisparities_index.aspx dhhs.ne.gov @NEDHHS NebraskaDHHS @NEDHHS Helping People Live Better Lives. 15
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