Making an Impact & Recognition

Timely and effective provision of health care will not only make the Philadelphia region more attractive for refugee resettlement, but will ensure that refugees can go to school and work quickly, speeding up the process through which refugees become integrated members of our community. The rapid expansion of the Philadelphia refugee health model has demonstrated that this is an innovative model that can be successfully replicated in other cities.
Goals Outcomes
  • We envision a city where all refugees have equal access to quality health care and a medical home
  • Resettlement agencies and medical community are working together to improve health access for refugees
  • Resident training in global health leads to more doctors working in the field
  • PRHC is collaborating closely with the Philadelphia and PA Departments of Health, community organizations, and other stakeholders
  • Refugees receive timely access to medical care and therefore can go to work and school quickly, leading to successful and faster integration
  • Many refugees receive quality health care for the first time in their lives
  • Shared information leads to improved resettlement and medical practices
  • Philadelphia becomes a Center of Medical Excellence for Refugee Health
Recognition

PRHC has already received recognition at the local, state and national levels as an innovative refugee health model and has attracted support from private and public funders. For example:

  • In December 2010, the Philadelphia Refugee Health Collaborative was awarded first prize and $15,000 in the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Innovative Partnerships Prize competition, which judged proposals according to innovation, impact and feasibility. As part of the award, an article in the Spring/Summer edition of the on-line “Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal” described the Collaborative initiative.
  • On May 2011, PRHC members gave an invited presentation at the first joint Association of Refugee Health Coordinators (ARHC)/Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Conference in Washington DC.
  • In May 2011, the Philadelphia Refugee Health Collaborative received a grant from The Barra Foundation to fund a two-year capacity building project to build citywide systems to address refugee health needs.
  • In August 2011, PRHC members conducted an invited workshop on “Partnering for Refugee Health: A Successful Resettlement Agency/Medical Provider Model for Screening & Ongoing Care” at the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement’s annual consultation in Washington DC.
  • In June 2012, PRHC members conducted an invited workshop at the North American Refugee Health Conference on “Creating a Global Health Home: Developing Partnerships Between Resettlement Agencies and Academic Medical Centers to Provide Comprehensive Longitudinal Care for Refugees”.
  • In May 2013, PRHC will be featured in a presentation at the 2013 National TB Conference in Atlanta, GA. The PRHC’s partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health will also be featured.
  • In May 2013, PRHC members will conduct an invited workshop at the Ethiopian Community Development Conference on “Best Practices in Medical Care for Refugees”.
  • In June 2013, PRHC members, including clinical providers, resettlement agencies and student interns, presented at the North American Refugee Health Conference in Toronto.
  • In June 2014, PRHC members, including clinical providers, resettlement agencies and student interns, presented at the North American Refugee Health Conference in Rochester, NY.
  • In June 2015, PRHC members, including clinical providers, resettlement agencies and student interns, presented at the North American Refugee Health Conference in Toronto.
  • In April 2016, PRHC members, including clinical providers and resettlement agency staff was published in the Harvard Public Health Review Volume 7 on REFUGEE Health.
  • In June 2016, PRHC members, including clinical providers, resettlement agencies and student interns, will present at the North American Refugee Health Conference in Niagara Falls, NY.