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NEWS FROM CAMBRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE
February 12, 2010
Community Groups to Discuss Immigrant Health
in Everett
Everett, MA…The Joint Committee on Children's Health Care
in Everett (JCCHCE) and the Institute for Community Health (ICH)
will host a Discussion on Immigrant Health on February 23rd at Everett
High School.
Both organizations were funded to work with immigrant leaders and
groups to improve health and health access over the past year. JCCHCE's
Healthy Everett for All (HEFA) Project was supported and funded
by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation to work with community
partners to increase immigrants' knowledge and access of available
health insurance and health services and explore why people might
not access services, including their fear of police traffic stops
and their safety. JCCHCE held a number of community forums with
five immigrant groups and surveyed various immigrant groups.
ICH, along with a number of Everett partners, received a Harvard
Catalyst grant to lead a community participatory research project
which focused on understanding the impact of immigration enforcement
on the health of immigrants. Over 50 immigrants engaged in focus
groups held in five different languages and led by immigrant leaders.
In addition, interviews were conducted with key stakeholders.
"Access to quality, affordable health care is essential to
all people especially those who are new to this country and who
may not have full knowledge of health care availability and their
eligibility," said Jackie Coogan, President and Founder of
JCCHCE, who led the HEFA Project along with Everett Community Health
Improvement Partnership Director Robert Marra of Cambridge Health
Alliance. "Many of the participants agreed how positive and
informative these health and safety discussions were to help them,
especially with the Health Care Access Specialists and Everett Chief
of Police Steven Mazzie present at all the meetings."
"Immigrants are definitely worried about Immigration and Customs
Enforcement activity," said Dr. Hacker, executive director
of ICH and a physician at Cambridge Health Alliance, who led the
Harvard study. "Sometimes, this fear impacts their emotional
health, and sometimes it interferes with getting health care when
they need it. We heard this repeatedly in the focus groups."
On February 23rd from 5:30-9 p.m., the two groups will present
their findings at Everett High School. The researchers will discuss
the data gathered from the focus groups, interviews, and survey
as well as some of the ideas raised at the various community forums.
This work is being done in collaboration with co-sponsors Cambridge
Health Alliance; Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria, Everett Public Schools,
Muslim American Civic and Cultural Association; Everett Literacy
Program; La Comunidad, Inc.; Sons of Orsogna Club; Immaculate Conception
Church; A Better Tomorrow Services, Inc; and St. Anthony's Church,
Scalabrini Center.
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Media Contacts
David Cecere
Cambridge Health Alliance
Phone: 617-503-8428
dcecere@challiance.org
Learn more!
Institute for Community Health
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