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VSS HEALTH EDUCATION
PROGRAM |
The Vietnamese community
is at risk of poor health due to language barriers, economic factors,
inexperience with American culture and institutions, and limited access to
mainstream health facilities. Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota believes
that Vietnamese refugees and immigrants will make significant progress in
taking control of their health needs, with the help of a well-designed program
of preventive health education.
Educating
Vietnamese About Prevention
The
ability to bridge language and cultural barriers is crucial to the
effectiveness of any health program for refugees and immigrants. The bilingual
staff of the Good Health - Better Life Program have the ability to communicate
effectively with members of the Vietnamese community, as well as with
mainstream health providers. They provide a well-rounded set of prevention
services that includes monthly health classes taught by Vietnamese physicians;
regular blood pressure checks, eyesight exams, and flu shots in coordination
with mainstream health clinics; field trips to medical facilities to
familiarize newcomers with Western health care services; and physical fitness
activities. Staff also translate existing health information into Vietnamese
and distribute materials on topics such as diseases and healthy lifestyles. With
smoking-related cancer continuing to be endemic in the Vietnamese community,
the program focuses heavily on educating the community about the risks of
tobacco use.
Health Insurance for Low
Income, Working Families
Many
Vietnamese refugees are employed in low-paying service and factory jobs that do
not provide health insurance. VSS has secured funding from the Minnesota
Department of Human Services to assist uninsured, low- income Vietnamese
workers obtain MinnesotaCare insurance or other low-cost health coverage.
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SERVICES |
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Health Maintenance Forums (Classes workshops) |
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Annual Health Conference |
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Access Services (Consumer trips to facilities) |
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Preventative Screening/Immunization |
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Translated Health Information |
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Community/Provider Networking |
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Physical Fitness classes |
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MinnesotaCare Outreach |
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