Each year, thousands of people enter the United States seeking refuge and asylum from unsafe experiences in their home countries. The Colorado Refugee Services Program and the Colorado Department of Human Services partner with Denver Health to provide newly arriving refugee families and identified asylees with a refugee health screening within 90 days of their arrival in the United States. Refugee health screenings are provided at the Denver Health Refugee Clinic (DHRC) at 1001 Yosemite Street in Denver’s Lowry neighborhood. Since September 2014, this clinic has screened more than 3,000 refugee patients.
The DHRC is a national model of care that includes wraparound services and a multi-disciplinary team for adult and pediatric patients. Patients receiving a screening through the Refugee Medical Screening Program are referred to a Denver Health primary care clinic, based on where they live, to establish a medical home. The DHRC also is one site of 15 in the country that provide domestic medical examinations for unaccompanied refugee children. Patients have been evaluated from all over the world, including from:
Afghanistan
Bhutan/Nepal
Burma
Democratic Republic of Congo
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Iraq
Somalia
Sudan
Syria
Venezuela
After screening, each patient receives health education in their preferred language, including how to use their Medicaid benefits, obtain prescribed medications, learn the name of their primary care provider, and how to schedule appointments for physicals, sick visits, and vaccinations. Patients are welcomed with open arms at Denver Health, receive life-saving medical care, community connections, and empowering resources for successful, long-term integration into our communities.
You can welcome newly arriving refugees to Denver and ease the transition into their new home by supporting Refugee Health Care at Denver Health.