The UA Refugee Health Program's four pillars:
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Clinical Work
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Education
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Research/Scholarly Efforts
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Community Engagement and Advocacy
Clinical Work
Most of our clinical work is conducted at the Alvernon Family Medicine Clinic (midtown Tucson) near a high concentration of refugee populations and community organizations dedicated to refugee support. Faculty members conduct new refugee Domestic Medical Exams (CDC mandated health screenings) for newly arrived refugees; manage a specialized complex care clinic designed to address the multifaceted health needs of refugees with complicated conditions; and provide on-going care and support to a high number of established primary care patients from refugee communities. The clinical faculty also provide care at the complex care clinic at the El Rio Abrams clinic. Our faculty have experience working with refugees abroad as well. Our clinical work aims to bridge the gaps that refugee patients can face in accessing health care by providing support in system navigation, case management services and health literacy.
Education
We have a large footprint in teaching refugee health related topics, including a comprehensive refugee health curriculum for Family Medicine Residents, which equips future healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively care for refugee patients. We also provide education on refugee care to medical students and nursing students, community members and more. By creating a more informed health workforce we aim to improve health care for patients from refugee communities.
Research/Scholarly Efforts
Our faculty have led and participated in an extensive amount of research and scholarly work surrounding the care of refugee patients. This ensures that our work is not only provided with compassion but also is evidence-based and responsive. Through collaborative research we have been able to identify gaps and needs that refugees with disabilities face, which has given us a starting point for best practices in filling those gaps. Our faculty also prioritize attending and presenting our refugee related work at national and international conferences in order to amplify our impact and build collaborative partnerships to further our goals and reach.
Community Engagement and Advocacy
Community collaboration is an essential part of our work. We recognize that improving health and wellness for our patients requires efforts outside the clinical space. We partner closely with community organizations, refugee resettlement agencies and the state Office of Refugee Resettlement. We collaborate with The International Rescue Committee of Tucson on their Survivor of Torture Program, and work closely with them to identify, treat and refer patients for appropriate services.
One of our key advocacy initiatives is the Department’s Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP, a collaboration between healthcare and legal services providers) which works to advocate for refugee patients and their families both on an individual level and within broader systems of care.
A key aspect of our community engagement is the Program’s Refugee Health Forum. This is an annual summit of key Arizona stakeholders including clinical care providers, researchers, refugee resettlement staff, and community members that focusing on collaboration, education and information sharing.