Calgary Refugee Health Program Settlement Division Calgary Catholic Immigration Society

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Calgary Refugee Health ProgramSettlement
DivisionCalgary Catholic Immigration Society

• Fariborz Birjandian
• RAP conference Vancouver February 2007

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Settlement Program
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Health Program History

• Initial dialogue and MSDIF Proposal
• Service Launch in summer 2002
• Phase 1 - Orientation, Service Model
• Phase 2 - Partnership and Program Development,
  Operational Data Collection
• Phase 3 - ARP and Infrastructure Development
• Phase 4 - Sustainability and Growth

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Target Population

• Federally-sponsored refugees destined for Calgary
• Federally-sponsored refugees who relocate to
  Calgary within 1 year of arrival
• Refugee claimants
• Community-sponsored refugees
• Immigrants from refugee-like situations (family
  class immigrants)

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Vision

• A community where immigrants coming from
  refugee-like situations are supported in their
  resettlement through the pursuit of optimal
  health.

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Mission

• To optimize the health of our clients through
  the provision of integrated transitional primary
  health care and through enhanced access and
  coordination within the health system

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Goals

• To enhance access to and coordination of health
  system services for new refugees
• To provide transitional primary care to new
  refugees to Calgary
• To increase appropriate disease prevention
  activities in new refugees to Calgary
• To enhance health protection services for
  refugees impacted by public health or
  communicable disease conditions
• To enhance and support health promotion
  strategies and initiatives to address important
  refugee health issues
• To advocate for and enhance responsiveness of the
  health system to meet the health needs of
  refugees
• To support health and settlement activities
  through improved coordination of services and
  mutual support
• To promote and develop the program in order to
  achieve its mission

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Philosophy

• Successful settlement is the goal. Health
  services are in support of settlement.
• The health services are transitional. Clients
  are expected to integrate into society and the
  health system
• The emphasis is on enhancing access to and
  coordination of existing health system services
  rather than creating new services

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Health Program Funding

• Medical Services Budget (FFS and ARP)
• Interim Federal Health
• Medical Services Delivery Innovation Fund
• Donations and in-kind contributions

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Health Program Activities
Agency Support
Program Promotion and Development
Administration
Health Promotion
Access Coordination
Health Protection
Clinical Services
Disease Prevention
Advocacy/Education
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Specific Service Examples
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Agency Support

• Health-related activities to support other CCIS
  service divisions
• Workshops and seminars
• Responding to staff and agency concerns and
  questions

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Program Promotion and Development

• Strategic and operational planning
• Management and evaluation
• Quality improvement
• Identifying and recruiting partners
• Infrastructure development
• Program promotion and awareness

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Administrative Services

• Data tracking and analysis
• Intra and interagency communication
• Management, planning, operational, settlement,
  agency, and medical meetings
• Administration of the program

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Access and Coordination

• Engage, partner with and support
• Health system
• Providers
• Programs
• Immigrant-serving agencies
• Clients
• Create new services
• Modify existing services
• Provide instrumental support

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Clinical Services

• Triage and management of urgent conditions and
  client concerns (including after hours call)
• Client health intake and assessment
• Follow-up of health concerns identified on health
  intake
• Follow-up of problems identified through
  screening program
• Ongoing transitional primary care

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Advocacy

• Participating in conferences and workshops
• Raising awareness of issues
• Working towards system improvement and
  responsiveness
• Supporting the training of international medical
  graduates

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Disease Prevention

• Systematic Screening
• History
• Physical Examination
• Laboratory
• Blood
• Stool
• Urine
• Increasing Uptake of other Clinical Preventive
  Measures
• Vaccinations

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Health Protection

• Treatment and follow-up of communicable disease
  conditions
• Coordination with the CDC unit
• Coordination with Environmental Health
• Coordination with TB services
• Coordination with the STD clinic
• Coordination with SAC

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Health Promotion

• Health Systems Orientation
• Insurance
• Vision and dental services
• Health system overview
• Womens Health
• Child Health

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Margaret Chisholm Resettlement Centre Health
Program Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
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Challenges to Service Delivery