Field of Work: Access to education and health care for immigrant and refugee children Problem
Synopsis: More than 30 million immigrants and refugees live in the United States, and they often have chronic health problems due to difficulty getting appropriate social and health services. For children, the situation is aggravated by their parents’ lack of understanding about medical options in the United States and by medical professionals’ lack of cultural competence.
Synopsis of the Work: The Center for Children’s Advocacy in Hartford, Conn., working with Jubilee House (a nonprofit that provides settlement and case management services), identified new immigrant and refugee families in need of health care and educational services, linked them with available services and provided training to families on their rights and available services. The staff also provided support to medical professionals and educators on the cultural context and barriers faced by immigrant and refugee children.