• Newsletter Archive

    Archive

The RISP-Net newsletter is a bi-weekly newsletter that promotes things that are happening in the Arizona refugee community. The newsletter includes community resources, volunteer and job opportunities, and a refugee spotlight which highlights the successes of refugees in the community.If you want to nominate a refugee or refugee owned business for the spotlight, click here. If you want to subscribe to the newsletter, click here.

The Arizona State Refugee Health Coordinator sends out bi-weekly Refugee Health in Arizona updates that focus on sharing information and resources related to health. These updates are aimed to give service providers information to better support their clients. The updates include refugee arrival updates, resources and benefits for clients, educational resources, and training, job and volunteer opportunities.

RISP-Net Newsletter

  • February 28, 2022 – Here
  • February 14, 2022 – Here
  • January 12, 2022 – Here
  • November 18, 2020 – Here
  • October 18, 2021 – Here
  • September 20, 2021 – Here
  • August 30, 2021 – Here
  • August 16, 2021 – Here
  • August 2, 2021 – Here
  • July 19, 2021 – Here
  • July 6, 2021 – Here
  • June 21, 2021 – Here
  • June 7, 2021 – Here
  • May 24, 2021 – Here
  • May 10, 2021 – Here
  • April 26, 2021 – Here
  • April 12, 2021 – Here
  • March 29, 2021 – Here
  • March 15, 2021 – Here
  • March 2, 2021 – Here
  • February 16, 2021 – Here
  • February 1, 2021 – Here
  • January 19, 2021 – Here
  • January 4, 2021 – Here
  • December 21, 2020 – Here
  • December 7, 2020 – Here
  • November 23, 2020 – Here
  • November 9, 2020 – Here
  • October 26, 2020 – Here

Pages Archive

  • Learn about the US Census 2020 here
  • Watch Arizona’s virtual 2020 World Refugee Day here

Quarterly Meetings

  • Tucson Quarterly Meeting 10/09/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint
  • Phoenix Quarterly Meeting 10/01/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint
  • Joint Quarterly Meeting 07/08/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint
  • Tucson Quarterly Meeting 04/05/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint
  • Phoenix Quarterly Meeting 04/02/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint
  • Joint Quarterly Meeting 01/07/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint

RISP-Net Newsletter

  • January 12, 2022 – Here
  • November 18, 2020 – Here
  • October 18, 2021 – Here
  • September 20, 2021 – Here
  • August 30, 2021 – Here
  • August 16, 2021 – Here
  • August 2, 2021 – Here
  • July 19, 2021 – Here
  • July 6, 2021 – Here
  • June 21, 2021 – Here
  • June 7, 2021 – Here
  • May 24, 2021 – Here
  • May 10, 2021 – Here
  • April 26, 2021 – Here
  • April 12, 2021 – Here
  • March 29, 2021 – Here
  • March 15, 2021 – Here
  • March 2, 2021 – Here
  • February 16, 2021 – Here
  • February 1, 2021 – Here
  • January 19, 2021 – Here
  • January 4, 2021 – Here
  • December 21, 2020 – Here
  • December 7, 2020 – Here
  • November 23, 2020 – Here
  • November 9, 2020 – Here
  • October 26, 2020 – Here

Pages Archive

  • Learn about the US Census 2020 here
  • Watch Arizona’s virtual 2020 World Refugee Day here

Quarterly Meetings

  • Joint Quarterly Meeting 10/21/2020 – Click here to view PowerPoint

    • Click here to view the Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 in Communities of Color – MC³ presentation given by Lizbeth from IRC Tucson and Jess from Pima County Health Department

  • Joint Quarterly Meeting 07/08/2020 – Click here to view PowerPoint

  • Tucson Quarterly Meeting 04/09/2020 – Click here to view PowerPoint

  • Phoenix Quarterly Meeting 04/01/2020 – Click here to view PowerPoint

  • Joint Quarterly Meeting 01/08/2020 – Click here to view the PowerPoint

  • Tucson Quarterly Meeting 10/09/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint

  • Phoenix Quarterly Meeting 10/01/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint

  • Joint Quarterly Meeting 07/08/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint

  • Tucson Quarterly Meeting 04/05/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint

  • Phoenix Quarterly Meeting 04/02/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint

  • Joint Quarterly Meeting 01/07/2019 – Click here to view the PowerPoint

Refugee Health Updates

Quick Links

Notes from COVID-19 Refugee Health Calls

Assistance Opportunities

LGBTQ+ Emergency Covid-19 Relief Fund one▪n▪ten secured additional resources to provide emergency financial assistance to LGBTQ+ youth impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These resources are designated for young adults 18-24 years old, legally emancipated minors or a guardian of an underage one▪n▪ten youth who will use the funds to support their child. Priority will be given to youth/families who are already signed up for services or programs at one ▪n▪ten. Assistance for urgent needs related to the following categories will be provided on a first come basis until all available resources are exhausted:

  • Housing instability or insecurity, including emergency rent payments, deposits or other assistance
  • Unemployment, underemployment or essential service related transportation hardships
  • Medical Care
  • Food Insecurity
  • Apply here

Job Opportunities

Maricopa County | Clinical Health Navigator at Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Five (5) positions available. View the job description here. Job Overview: Provide accurate culturally grounded and linguistically appropriate contact tracing and education to the refugee and immigrant community to mitigate the spread of COVID19. To apply, email Dr. Cortney Eakin at Cortney_Eakin@dmgaz.org and /or Dr. Elyssa Metas Elyssa_Metas@dmgaz.org

Training Opportunities

  • August 25: Webinar Series: Center of Excellence in Refugee Health, Minnesota –  Addressing refugee and immigrant health in the face of persistent inequality and COVID-19: Perspectives of clinical experts https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/rih/about/coewebinaraug25.pdf  LEARNING OBJECTIVES ▪ Identify two to three challenges faced by historically resilient communities to accessing health care ▪ Describe at least three innovative approaches to partner with and support communities for health ▪ Identify two considerations in crafting meaningful outreach initiatives
  • August 26: Health Literacy 2020: Applying health literacy to improve health outcomeshttp://www.ihaconfphx.org/ “Please join us for Arizona’s first health literacy conference. You will walk away from this conference with the tools to help you in your daily work and to improve your organization’s patient interactions, programs, communication, and strategies. You will learn from and take part in discussions with national and community leaders and innovators in health literacy. This conference is brought to Arizona by the Institute for Healthcare Advancement, a not-for profit dedicated to improving health, in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Health Services, providers and agencies in the community.” Health Literacy Conference is now open and available at no charge because we have some scholarships available. Please use this code when registering:
    • Scholarships2020
  • September 17-19: North American Refugee Health Conference– virtual conference http://refugeesociety.org/north-american-refugee-health-conference “The North American Refugee Health Conference is recognized as the preeminent conference destination for healthcare and resettlement professionals working with refugee populations.  This three day conference focuses on issues that are relevant to the emerging field of refugee healthcare.  ~700 attendees have the opportunity to learn about best practices, increase their levels of cultural competency, connect with like-minded professionals, reflect on the challenges and successes of the work they do, and develop a network of colleagues who are making a difference in their communities.  The conference takes place in June each year and alternates between the United States and Canada.”
  • October 24th and 25th: Forensic Evaluation of Asylum Seekers  –  Free training  http://refugeesociety.org/forensic-evaluation-of-asylum-seekers “Healthcare professionals can make a powerful and unique contribution to individuals seeking asylum by providing forensic medical evaluations (FME). They possess the skills necessary for writing impactful medical-legal affidavits based on objective assessments of physical, functional and psychological scars related to persecution and torture. This course will provide an introduction for clinicians with no experience performing FME that will prepare attendees to begin conducting such evaluations. We will review the history and legal basis of asylum, the physical and psychological assessment of asylum seekers and how to write affidavits. More advanced topics will include evaluation of individuals subjected to gender-based violence and LGBTQI individuals, working with trainees, becoming an advocate and an update on asylum at the southern border.”

Educational Resources

Multilingual COVID-19 resources are available here:

***NEW Today’s Resource Highlight:

Attached to this email are educational fliers for families with children with disabilities created by the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council and RRP for refugee parents. These fliers are going to be translated in the next month and multilingual videos will be created from them further in the future. We wanted to share the English versions in the meantime!

  • Disability in the United States – English,
  • What to do if I think my Child has a Disability? – English
  • What is Special Education? –  English
  • Who can I Contact for Help with my Child’s Special Education? – English
  • Creating my Child’s Individualized Education Program – English
  • What is my Child is not eligible for Special Education? – English

Provider Resources

Switchboard: Archived Webinar: Reopening After COVID-19 Closures: A Conversation Among Refugee Service Providers  

Switchboard: Ask an Expert: Self-Care Q&A

Refugee and SIV Arrivals in AZ

  • This past week: 30
  • Year to date: 388

COVID-19 AZ Snapshot – (All of AZ- not refugee-specific data)

  • 198,414 unique cases
  • 4,771 deaths
  • The number of new cases reported is trending downward, but community spread is still substantial.
  • We are still seeing more cases per day than we had prior to the “Stay Home” order.
  • Main messages: Wear a mask when you are indoors and away from home, and outdoors if you will be within 6 feet of others. Stay away from crowded spaces if you can. Stay home when you are sick and follow ADHS guidelines for releasing from isolation and caring for sick family members. Cooperate with contact tracing efforts. Practice self care and stay connected to your community!

Quick Links

Testing

  • Mobile COVID-19 Testing Van is providing free testing in underserved areas in Phoenix through the end of August. Results ready in 15 minutes. Pre-registration is required. Links: news articleand testing locations.
  • Other COVID-19 Testing Locations
  • Free Saliva testing:
  • Tests will be available at the following locations and times:
  • Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Wednesday and Friday, from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.
    State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Tuesday, from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.
    Ellie Towne Community Center in Tucson, Wednesday and Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to noon.
  • Click here for more dates and to pre-register.

Notes from COVID-19 Refugee Health Calls

Assistance Opportunities

LGBTQ+ Emergency Covid-19 Relief Fund one▪n▪ten secured additional resources to provide emergency financial assistance to LGBTQ+ youth impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These resources are designated for young adults 18-24 years old, legally emancipated minors or a guardian of an underage one▪n▪ten youth who will use the funds to support their child. Priority will be given to youth/families who are already signed up for services or programs at one ▪n▪ten. Assistance for urgent needs related to the following categories will be provided on a first come basis until all available resources are exhausted:

  • Housing instability or insecurity, including emergency rent payments, deposits or other assistance
  • Unemployment, underemployment or essential service related transportation hardships
  • Medical Care
  • Food Insecurity
  • Apply here

Job Opportunities

Maricopa County | Clinical Health Navigator at Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Five (5) positions available. View the job description here. Job Overview: Provide accurate culturally grounded and linguistically appropriate contact tracing and education to the refugee and immigrant community to mitigate the spread of COVID19. To apply, email Dr. Cortney Eakin at Cortney_Eakin@dmgaz.org and /or Dr. Elyssa Metas Elyssa_Metas@dmgaz.org

Training Opportunities

  • August 25: Webinar Series: Center of Excellence in Refugee Health, Minnesota –  Addressing refugee and immigrant health in the face of persistent inequality and COVID-19: Perspectives of clinical experts https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/rih/about/coewebinaraug25.pdf  LEARNING OBJECTIVES ▪ Identify two to three challenges faced by historically resilient communities to accessing health care ▪ Describe at least three innovative approaches to partner with and support communities for health ▪ Identify two considerations in crafting meaningful outreach initiatives
  • August 26: Health Literacy 2020: Applying health literacy to improve health outcomeshttp://www.ihaconfphx.org/ “Please join us for Arizona’s first health literacy conference. You will walk away from this conference with the tools to help you in your daily work and to improve your organization’s patient interactions, programs, communication, and strategies. You will learn from and take part in discussions with national and community leaders and innovators in health literacy. This conference is brought to Arizona by the Institute for Healthcare Advancement, a not-for profit dedicated to improving health, in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Health Services, providers and agencies in the community.” Health Literacy Conference is now open and available at no charge because we have some scholarships available. Please use this code when registering: Scholarships2020
  • September 10: Switchboard: Cultural Competence in Refugee Service Settings: What Does the Research Tell Us?Thursday, September 10, 2020, 11:00pm -12:15pm Link to register. What will this webinar cover? Refugees have unique, complex needs and strengths related to their cultural backgrounds and experiences of forced displacement and resettlement. Most of us are familiar with the term “cultural competence” and the importance of culturally appropriate services when working to support refugee clients. But providing culturally appropriate services is often complicated by unclear definitions and a lack of practical guidance.This webinar will share the findings of an original literature review on the topic of cultural competence in refugee service settings, highlighting key concepts and approaches described by refugee service providers and organizations. A Q&A session will provide an opportunity to hear the perspectives of practitioners working with refugee and immigrant communities.
    • Is this webinar for me? This webinar is aimed at front-line and management staff of organizations serving refugees and immigrants who are looking to better understand the evidence base related to cultural competence and culturally appropriate services for refugee communities. It will also be relevant for health care providers (including clinicians and mental health professionals) serving refugee patients, and for academics and students with research interests in cultural competence.
    • Why should I attend? By the end of this 75-minute session, you will be able to:
      • Describe the importance of cultural competence in refugee service settings;
      • Summarize what the research says about cultural competence, including: how it is defined, criticisms of cultural competence, and the importance of an enabling organizational and structural environment; and
      • Identify key individual- and organization-level approaches to culturally competent service provision.
    • September 17-19: North American Refugee Health Conference– virtual conference http://refugeesociety.org/north-american-refugee-health-conference “The North American Refugee Health Conference is recognized as the preeminent conference destination for healthcare and resettlement professionals working with refugee populations.  This three day conference focuses on issues that are relevant to the emerging field of refugee healthcare.  ~700 attendees have the opportunity to learn about best practices, increase their levels of cultural competency, connect with like-minded professionals, reflect on the challenges and successes of the work they do, and develop a network of colleagues who are making a difference in their communities.  The conference takes place in June each year and alternates between the United States and Canada.”
    • October 24th and 25th: Forensic Evaluation of Asylum Seekers  –  Free training  http://refugeesociety.org/forensic-evaluation-of-asylum-seekers “Healthcare professionals can make a powerful and unique contribution to individuals seeking asylum by providing forensic medical evaluations (FME). They possess the skills necessary for writing impactful medical-legal affidavits based on objective assessments of physical, functional and psychological scars related to persecution and torture. This course will provide an introduction for clinicians with no experience performing FME that will prepare attendees to begin conducting such evaluations. We will review the history and legal basis of asylum, the physical and psychological assessment of asylum seekers and how to write affidavits. More advanced topics will include evaluation of individuals subjected to gender-based violence and LGBTQI individuals, working with trainees, becoming an advocate and an update on asylum at the southern border.”

Educational Resources

Multilingual COVID-19 resources are available here:

***NEW Today’s Resource Highlight:

Masks!

Languages are hyperlinked.

CDC: Please Wear A Cloth Face Covering

Available in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Karen, Kinyarwanda, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya, and Ukrainian.

Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program: Face Mask Instruction

Available in Arabic, English, Farsi, French, Kinyarwanda, Somali, Spanish, and Swahili.

Switchboard: Mask Guidelines

Available in Arabic, English, French, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Nepali, and Spanish.

International Rescue Committee Mask Guidelines “Wearing Cloth Masks” in English, Arabic, French, Kinyarwanda, Spanish, and Nepali.

COVID-19 AZ Snapshot – (All of AZ- not refugee-specific data)

  • 202,342 unique cases (up 3,928 from previous week)
  • 5,044 deaths (up 333 from previous week)
  • The number of new cases reported is trending downward, but community spread is still substantial.
  • Main messages: Wear a mask when you are indoors and away from home, and outdoors if you will be within 6 feet of others. Stay away from crowded spaces if you can. Stay home when you are sick and follow ADHS guidelines for releasing from isolation and caring for sick family members. Cooperate with contact tracing efforts. Practice self care and stay connected to your community!

Quick Links

AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid)
At this time AHCCCS is not terminating anyone’s coverage due to the pandemic. Per the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, AHCCCS will not disenroll members during the emergency (with the exception of death, those who move out of state, or those who voluntarily withdraw).  See number 13 under “General COVID-19 Questions” on the page linked below:

https://azahcccs.gov/AHCCCS/AboutUs/covid19FAQ.html#:~:text=Answer%3A%20Per%20the%20COVID%2D19,end%20of%20the%20emergency%20declaration

If you have a client or a community member who has had their coverage terminated, please reach out to RRP.

Testing

PHX Community Partner COVID-19 Testing COVID-19 Mobile Testing Van is providing free testing in underserved areas in Phoenix. Dates available through September 13. Results ready in 15 minutes. Pre-registration is required. Links: testing locations

Other COVID-19 Testing Locations

Notes from COVID-19 Refugee Health Calls

Assistance Opportunities

Tucson Refugee Ministry: Welcome Baby Project
Preparing to have a new baby can be overwhelming even if you have lived in the US your entire life and are surrounded by supportive family.   There are many refugee expecting mothers in Tucson, however, who don’t have their sisters, mothers, aunts or grandmas here to help support them in their pregnancy. They sometimes need a friend to help understand the “system” including where to go for help, how to get to doctor’s appointments, and how to get needed supplies.  Tucson Refugee Ministry’s Welcome Baby Partnership has trained volunteers to support refugee moms during pregnancy including help accessing services and delivery of care packages.  You can refer any interested expecting refugee for this free service by completing the short referral form at https://www.tucsonrefugeeministry.com/refugee-referral-form/ with their permission.
More information  at https://www.tucsonrefugeeministry.com/how-to-get-involved/welcome-partnerships/

Volunteer Opportunities

Area Agency on Aging Mosaic Elder Refugee Center  in Maricopa County is looking for volunteers. Their group classes are closed due to COVID-19 so they are looking for people to help by making phone calls to allow Elders to practice their English and review the history and citizenship questions (This needs to be done in English). The other opportunity is performing wellness calls. These volunteers will need to speak another language and will be matched up with refugees speaking the language they are fluent in. Any issues will be referred to case managers or the nurse for follow up. Please reach out to Derek for more information on how to volunteer in this capacity: Derek.Oetken@aaaphx.org Thank you for your interest in helping our Elder Refugees in this stressful time!

Training Opportunities

  • September 10: Switchboard: Cultural Competence in Refugee Service Settings: What Does the Research Tell Us?Thursday, September 10, 2020, 11:00pm -12:15pm Link to register. What will this webinar cover? Refugees have unique, complex needs and strengths related to their cultural backgrounds and experiences of forced displacement and resettlement. Most of us are familiar with the term “cultural competence” and the importance of culturally appropriate services when working to support refugee clients. But providing culturally appropriate services is often complicated by unclear definitions and a lack of practical guidance. This webinar will share the findings of an original literature review on the topic of cultural competence in refugee service settings, highlighting key concepts and approaches described by refugee service providers and organizations. A Q&A session will provide an opportunity to hear the perspectives of practitioners working with refugee and immigrant communities.
  • September 17-19: North American Refugee Health Conference– virtual conference http://refugeesociety.org/north-american-refugee-health-conference “The North American Refugee Health Conference is recognized as the preeminent conference destination for healthcare and resettlement professionals working with refugee populations.  This three day conference focuses on issues that are relevant to the emerging field of refugee healthcare.  ~700 attendees have the opportunity to learn about best practices, increase their levels of cultural competency, connect with like-minded professionals, reflect on the challenges and successes of the work they do, and develop a network of colleagues who are making a difference in their communities.  The conference takes place in June each year and alternates between the United States and Canada.”
  • October 24th and 25th: Forensic Evaluation of Asylum Seekers  –  Free training  http://refugeesociety.org/forensic-evaluation-of-asylum-seekers “Healthcare professionals can make a powerful and unique contribution to individuals seeking asylum by providing forensic medical evaluations (FME). They possess the skills necessary for writing impactful medical-legal affidavits based on objective assessments of physical, functional and psychological scars related to persecution and torture. This course will provide an introduction for clinicians with no experience performing FME that will prepare attendees to begin conducting such evaluations. We will review the history and legal basis of asylum, the physical and psychological assessment of asylum seekers and how to write affidavits. More advanced topics will include evaluation of individuals subjected to gender-based violence and LGBTQI individuals, working with trainees, becoming an advocate and an update on asylum at the southern border.”

Educational Resources

Multilingual COVID-19 resources are available here:

Refugee and SIV Arrivals in AZ 
Arrivals week ending September 7: 6
Arrivals week ending September 14: 10
Year to date: 425

Quick Links

AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid)
At this time AHCCCS is not terminating anyone’s coverage due to the pandemic. Per the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, AHCCCS will not disenroll members during the emergency (with the exception of death, those who move out of state, or those who voluntarily withdraw).  See number 13 under “General COVID-19 Questions” on the page linked below:

https://azahcccs.gov/AHCCCS/AboutUs/covid19FAQ.html#:~:text=Answer%3A%20Per%20the%20COVID%2D19,end%20of%20the%20emergency%20declaration

If you have a client or a community member who has had their coverage terminated, please reach out to RRP. 
*** NEW Member Eligibility Verifications To Resume
Since the start of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) in March 2020, AHCCCS suspended all Medicaid disenrollments (unless a member moved out of state, voluntarily disenrolled, died, or aged out of KidsCare), per federal requirements. The PHE is scheduled to expire on Oct. 22, 2020 unless the United States Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services opts to extend it.
In anticipation of the expiration, AHCCCS will begin to request eligibility information from members whose eligibility requires additional information. However, no member will be disenrolled, regardless of eligibility, until after the PHE ends.
AHCCCS will begin sending requests for information in the September member notifications. Members who receive a request for additional information are urged to respond in a timely manner so eligibility can be re-determined and renewed once the PHE ends.
Volunteer Opportunities
Area Agency on Aging Mosaic Elder Refugee Center  in Maricopa County is looking for volunteers. Their group classes are closed due to COVID-19 so they are looking for people to help by making phone calls to allow Elders to practice their English and review the history and citizenship questions (This needs to be done in English). The other opportunity is performing wellness calls. These volunteers will need to speak another language and will be matched up with refugees speaking the language they are fluent in. Any issues will be referred to case managers or the nurse for follow up. Please reach out to Derek for more information on how to volunteer in this capacity: Derek.Oetken@aaaphx.org Thank you for your interest in helping our Elder Refugees in this stressful time!
Job Opportunities
The International Rescue Committee office in Tucson is hiring a Case Manager who will report to the Health Program Manager and work on health related activities. Apply here.
Training Opportunities
September 16, 2020 | 2 – 3:30 p.m. AZ Time – Arizona Public Health Association: COVID-19 Conversations Webinar Series: Until We Have a Vaccine: Surveillance, Testing, and Contact Tracing
Register here. The fourteenth COVID-19 Conversations webinar will discuss the many aspects of COVID-19 containment, including best practices for disease surveillance and outbreak identification, testing strategy and opportunities, and progress on contact tracing. The webinar will begin with an introduction from the session’s moderator, Karen DeSalvo, Chief Health Officer, Google, and then feature a conversation with a panel of experts, including: Michael Osterholm – Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota and LaQuandra Nesbitt – Director, District of Columbia Department of Health

The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session with the webinar audience. This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education credits for CPH, CME, CNE or CHES. Several days after attending the webinar, participants will receive an email with info on how to complete the online evaluation and claim their credits.

October 24th and 25th: Forensic Evaluation of Asylum Seekers  –  Free training  http://refugeesociety.org/forensic-evaluation-of-asylum–seekers  “Healthcare professionals can make a powerful and unique contribution to individuals seeking asylum by providing forensic medical evaluations (FME). They possess the skills necessary for writing impactful medical-legal affidavits based on objective assessments of physical, functional and psychological scars related to persecution and torture. This course will provide an introduction for clinicians with no experience performing FME that will prepare attendees to begin conducting such evaluations. We will review the history and legal basis of asylum, the physical and psychological assessment of asylum seekers and how to write affidavits. More advanced topics will include evaluation of individuals subjected to gender-based violence and LGBTQI individuals, working with trainees, becoming an advocate and an update on asylum at the southern border.”
Educational Resources
Multilingual COVID-19 resources are available here:

Resource Highlight: Spotlight on Education

Click your grade level: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, and 8th Grade.

Quick Links

Resources / Benefits for Clients

***NEW Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW) is collaborating with Maricopa County, to run the Maricopa County Funeral Assistance Program.  The purpose of this program is to support community members experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and have suffered the loss of a loved one so that they may proceed with final disposition of decedents in Maricopa County.

COVID-19 has caused considerable economic distress for Maricopa County residents.  Many members of the community have lost their jobs, been furloughed, and/or experienced reduction in hours or hourly rate as a result of the pandemic. This financial instability has resulted in the overwhelming and unprecedented demand for social safety net programs.  Burial or cremation of a loved one is a significant investment, and usually unplanned. In the unfortunate event a loved one passes away, the family may not have the financial capability to pay for final disposition. The Maricopa County Funeral Assistance Program does not require that a decedents cause of death be associated with COVID-19. The program will pay up to $1,200.00 per a decedent to offset the financial burden of final disposition of a family member at a licensed facility WITHIN MARICOPA COUNTY.  If the itemized price total from the licensed Funeral Home is under $1,200.00, that amount will be paid.  If the invoice total is above $1,200.00, only $1,200.00 will be paid to the licensed Funeral Home.  The difference will need to be paid by the family PRIOR to Maricopa County payment.  To effectively carry out this program and determine eligibility, we are asking members visit our portal at  https://funeralassistanceprogram.org read and register to complete the application. Please contact Betty Hurtado, Burial Support Program Manager, for any questions on this program/application or VSUW at 602-240-6384 and funeralassistance@vsuw.org.

***NEW Tucson Unified School District meals program has a new option for weekly meal sign up if clients can’t do daily bus stop pickup. More info at: http://www.tusd1.org/GrabAndGo

***NEW SRP Extends Disconnect Moratorium for Limited Income Customers Through End of 2020.  In July SRP announced it was extending the pause of disconnections until October.  As part of their latest
customer support efforts, SRP will extend its disconnect moratorium for customers on its limited income program the Economy Price Plan (EPP) through the end of 2020. More info on RISP Net.

***NEW Jewish Family and Child Services TUCSON  is currently accepting new clients and has immediate availability.  From JFCS: “All services are being provided via telehealth at this time.

JFCS is currently accepting new clients and we have immediate availability.  All services are being provided via telehealth at this time. Individuals seeking services can call (520) 795-0300 ext. 2402 or email the intake team at intake@jfcstucson.org.  If you would like to refer a client, please follow the same process of calling or emailing the intake team and provide the appropriate contact information for the referred individual so that the team can do outreach. After several months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all learned a lot regarding the effects the pandemic is having on mental health.  Necessary public health measures have had, and will continue to have, secondary consequences such as economic stress, increased isolation, decreased access to community supports, and barriers related to accessing care. Researchers believe that the pandemic will have long-lasting effects on mental health and suicide risk.  JFCS is here to provide therapeutic support to anyone who needs it.  We accept Medicaid (all three of the AHCCCS health plans) and Medicare, and we also have a grant-funded free therapy program for individuals who have been victims of a crime at some point in their lives (i.e. domestic violence, child abuse, sex trafficking, homicide survivor, etc.).  We also have a self-pay option. We provide therapy services for individuals, couples, and families and we serve all ages. I look forward to (actually) seeing all of you sometime in the not too far away future.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me personally with any questions or concerns at (520) 795-0300 ext. 2381.”Melissa Zimmerman, LMSW, CCTP, BHP

AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid)

Member Eligibility Verifications To Resume

Since the start of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) in March 2020, AHCCCS suspended all Medicaid disenrollments (unless a member moved out of state, voluntarily disenrolled, died, or aged out of KidsCare), per federal requirements. The PHE is scheduled to expire on Oct. 22, 2020 unless the United States Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services opts to extend it.

In anticipation of the expiration, AHCCCS will begin to request eligibility information from members whose eligibility requires additional information. However, no member will be disenrolled, regardless of eligibility, until after the PHE ends. AHCCCS will begin sending requests for information in the September member notifications. Members who receive a request for additional information are urged to respond in a timely manner so eligibility can be re-determined and renewed once the PHE ends.

Volunteer Opportunities

Area Agency on Aging Mosaic Elder Refugee Center  in Maricopa County is looking for volunteers. Their group classes are closed due to COVID-19 so they are looking for people to help by making phone calls to allow Elders to practice their English and review the history and citizenship questions (This needs to be done in English). The other opportunity is performing wellness calls. These volunteers will need to speak another language and will be matched up with refugees speaking the language they are fluent in. Any issues will be referred to case managers or the nurse for follow up. Please reach out to Derek for more information on how to volunteer in this capacity: Derek.Oetken@aaaphx.org Thank you for your interest in helping our Elder Refugees in this stressful time!

Job Opportunities

IRC Tucson is hiring a Case Manager who will report to the Health Program Manager and work on health related activities. Apply here.

***NEW IRC Tucson is also recruiting a Health Services Caseworker – Tucson. The Health Services Caseworker will be responsible for coordinating medical and behavioral health services to clients across different program. They will be working closely with the IRC caseworkers and Banner University Medical Center to coordinate all medical screenings for new arrivals. Under the direction of the Health Program Manager, the Health Services Caseworker is responsible for developing partnerships with community organizations and ensuring access to quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate physical and mental health services for IRC clients. Please direct interested candidates to apply for this full time regular status position online www.rescue.org/careers or Health Services Caseworker – Tucson.

Training Opportunities

***NEW September 29 Migration Policy Institute Webinar: COVID-19’s Disruptions to In-Person Instruction Deal a Particularly Harsh Blow to English Learners, Whose Losses Could Linger for Years; New Brief Explores Solutions for Educators. Join an MPI webchat next week to discuss findings, options for school districts. The brief is available here: www.migrationpolicy.org/research/english-learners-covid-19-pandemic-policy-ideas.  The Center will host a webchat on September 29 with the brief’s authors and other experts to discuss the policies and practices that school systems will need to put in place to support ELs and their families through the public-health and education crisis. To learn more or register, click here. For the Center’s collection of work on English Learners and ESSA, visit: www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/nciip-english-learners-and-every-student-succeeds-act-essa.

***NEW The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services offers FREE virtual Behavioral Health Interpreting Training. There are several different curriculums and the training schedule for 2021 is attached to this email. If your organization or facility has staff who interpret, I highly recommend looking into this opportunity.  *There is also a track for bilingual individuals with no interpreting experience.

Educational Resources

Multilingual COVID-19 resources are available here:

Resource Highlight: 

U of A College of Pharmacy  Pharmacy Education Resource Videos – What is a Pharmacy, Getting Your Medicine from the Pharmacy,  Medication Refill: How to Get More Medicine, Remembering to Take Your Medicine

Tucson Family Advocacy Program: What to do Before, During, and After your Medical Visit

Health literacy teaching tool and pre/post teaching survey:

Refugee Arrivals

Quick Links

COVID-19 Testing

Tucson

FREE testing sponsored by the IRC and Pima County Health Department:

Location Facility Type Date Time Address
YMCA Community Center 10/10/2020 8:00am- 2:00pm 525 N Bonita Ave, Tucson, AZ 85745
Rising Star Church Religious Center 10/17/2020 8:00am – 2:00pm 2800 E 36th St, Tucson, AZ 85713 Includes Flu Shot
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Religious Center 10/24/2020 8:00am – 12:00pm 850 N. 11th Ave, 85705 Includes Flu Shot
St. John the Evangelist Catholic – Casa San Juan Religious Center 10/27/2020 7:30 am – 12:00pm 602 W Ajo Way, Tucson AZ 85713 Includes Flu Shot

Resources / Benefits for Clients

**NEW Maricopa County Public Health (MCDPH) announced the launch of its revamped website www.FindHelpPHX.org to help county residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic easily access the free and almost-free health and social services they need. Free and Almost-Free Health & Social Services for Residents Affected by COVID-19 via FindHelp PHX.org

  • Housing and Utility Services
  • Food and Clothing Services
  • Employment Services
  • Parenting and Childcare Services
  • Kids and Youth Services
  • Domestic Violence Victim Services
  • Mental Health/Addiction Services
  • and many more

**NEW Raising Special Kids Raising Special Kids exists to improve the lives of children with the full range of disabilities, from birth to age 26, by providing support, training, information and individual assistance so families can become effective advocates for their children. RSK received a grant from the CARES act specifically to serve refugees. RSK offers “programs and services designed to help families understand their health care plan services, find community programs & resources, connect with other families and participate in developing an appropriate education for their children. All offered at no charge and without qualifying eligibility requirements.” The referral form is attached. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, join the weekly refugee provider call on Thursday, October 15th, 12pm. meet.google.com/mhm-byoy-epv (US) +1 541-709-5216‬ PIN: ‪149 678 455‬#

**NEW  MCDPH has hired a team of COVID-19 multilingual contact tracers. David Habib (Languages: French and Arabic), Nelly Kanyange (Languages: French, Kirundi, Kiswahili, and Kinyarwanda), Aime Bideri (Languages: French, Swahili, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda and Kinyamulenge), Janet Zan (Languages: Native Karen (S’Gaw), Burmese, and Thai) TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, join the weekly refugee provider call on Thursday, October 15th, 12pm. meet.google.com/mhm-byoy-epv (US) +1 541-709-5216‬ PIN: ‪149 678 455‬#

**NEW For providers and clients in Tucson: Please see attached a tri-fold brochure for the Southern Arizona Family Support Alliance. Please take the time to read it and become informed about this amazing resource for young families. Supported by First-Things-First, and in collaboration with a network of agencies who stand ready to support parents and children.

Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW) is collaborating with Maricopa County, to run the Maricopa County Funeral Assistance Program.  The purpose of this program is to support community members experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and have suffered the loss of a loved one so that they may proceed with final disposition of decedents in Maricopa County.

COVID-19 has caused considerable economic distress for Maricopa County residents.  Many members of the community have lost their jobs, been furloughed, and/or experienced reduction in hours or hourly rate as a result of the pandemic. This financial instability has resulted in the overwhelming and unprecedented demand for social safety net programs.  Burial or cremation of a loved one is a significant investment, and usually unplanned. In the unfortunate event a loved one passes away, the family may not have the financial capability to pay for final disposition. The Maricopa County Funeral Assistance Program does not require that a decedents cause of death be associated with COVID-19. The program will pay up to $1,200.00 per a decedent to offset the financial burden of final disposition of a family member at a licensed facility WITHIN MARICOPA COUNTY.  If the itemized price total from the licensed Funeral Home is under $1,200.00, that amount will be paid.  If the invoice total is above $1,200.00, only $1,200.00 will be paid to the licensed Funeral Home.  The difference will need to be paid by the family PRIOR to Maricopa County payment.  To effectively carry out this program and determine eligibility, we are asking members visit our portal at  https://funeralassistanceprogram.org read and register to complete the application. Please contact Betty Hurtado, Burial Support Program Manager, for any questions on this program/application or VSUW at 602-240-6384 and funeralassistance@vsuw.org.

AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid)

Member Eligibility Verifications To Resume

Since the start of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) in March 2020, AHCCCS suspended all Medicaid disenrollments (unless a member moved out of state, voluntarily disenrolled, died, or aged out of KidsCare), per federal requirements. The PHE is scheduled to expire on Oct. 22, 2020 unless the United States Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services opts to extend it.

In anticipation of the expiration, AHCCCS will begin to request eligibility information from members whose eligibility requires additional information. However, no member will be disenrolled, regardless of eligibility, until after the PHE ends. AHCCCS will begin sending requests for information in the September member notifications. Members who receive a request for additional information are urged to respond in a timely manner so eligibility can be re-determined and renewed once the PHE ends.

Volunteer Opportunities

Area Agency on Aging Mosaic Elder Refugee Center  in Maricopa County is looking for volunteers. Their group classes are closed due to COVID-19 so they are looking for people to help by making phone calls to allow Elders to practice their English and review the history and citizenship questions (This needs to be done in English). The other opportunity is performing wellness calls. These volunteers will need to speak another language and will be matched up with refugees speaking the language they are fluent in. Any issues will be referred to case managers or the nurse for follow up. Please reach out to Derek for more information on how to volunteer in this capacity: Derek.Oetken@aaaphx.org Thank you for your interest in helping our Elder Refugees in this stressful time!

Job Opportunities

**NEW Banner Medical Center in Tucson is hiring a Refugee Health Screening Program Coordinator. Interested applicants should reach out to Monique Murillo, 520-289-6480. Job description is attached.

IRC Tucson is hiring a Case Manager who will report to the Health Program Manager and work on health related activities. Apply here.

IRC Tucson is also recruiting a Health Services Caseworker – Tucson. The Health Services Caseworker will be responsible for coordinating medical and behavioral health services to clients across different program. They will be working closely with the IRC caseworkers and Banner University Medical Center to coordinate all medical screenings for new arrivals. Under the direction of the Health Program Manager, the Health Services Caseworker is responsible for developing partnerships with community organizations and ensuring access to quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate physical and mental health services for IRC clients. Please direct interested candidates to apply for this full time regular status position online www.rescue.org/careers or Health Services Caseworker – Tucson.

Training Opportunities

SAVE THE DATE: RRP is hosting a Housing and Tenant Rights training on October 29th from 2:30-4:00pm. More info to come!

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services offers FREE virtual Behavioral Health Interpreting Training. There are several different curriculums and the training schedule for 2021 is attached to this email. If your organization or facility has staff who interpret, I highly recommend looking into this opportunity.  *There is also a track for bilingual individuals with no interpreting experience.

Educational Resources

Multilingual COVID-19 resources are available here:


Resource Highlight

From the National Library of Medicine:

MedlinePlus will become the National Library of Medicine (NLM) home for health information in multiple languages as of October 1, 2020.

Since 2007, when it began as the Refugee Health Information Network, HealthReach (https://healthreach.nlm.nih.gov/) has provided access to free, high-quality multilingual consumer health information resources for those providing services to individuals with limited English proficiency. Most of the materials on HealthReach are also part of MedlinePlus, the NLM’s flagship website for health information for patients, families, and the general public.

As of October 1, 2020, NLM will no longer offer HealthReach as a stand-alone website; however, MedlinePlus will continue to provide access to health information in multiple languages. This change is part of NLM’s initiative to align and consolidate the Library’s consumer health information to make it easier for online health information seekers to find and navigate trusted health information from NLM.

We invite HealthReach users to explore health information in multiple languages in the following places on MedlinePlus:

MedlinePlus Health Information in Multiple Languages https://medlineplus.gov/languages/languages.html

MedlinePlus Multiple Languages by Health Topic https://medlineplus.gov/languages/all_healthtopics.html

Quick Links

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107‬ PIN: ‪105 874 898‬#  Next call: November 19th.

Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289‬ PIN: ‪691 214 821‬#  October 28th notes I November 18th notes  Next call: December 2.

Resources  / Grants

Housing Resource: Arizona Housing Coalition: “Our CDC Eviction Moratorium Summary explains the steps a renter needs to take to use the CDC moratorium and our List of Known Rental Assistance Resources and Eviction Prevention Programs can be used to identify available rental assistance funds statewide. This list is being updated every two weeks in partnership with the Crisis Response Network.”

Domestic Violence Survivors: Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation  [SAAF] is awarding grants up to $700 to survivors of domestic violence age 14 or older who are experiencing medical or financial hardships due to COVID-19.  For more information and eligibility screening, call Eddie at (520) 547-6190 or Ali at (520) 274-7723.  Leave a message with your name and phone number and someone from SAAF will call you back.

Childcare Scholarships: Families living in the City of Tucson or the City of South Tucson affected by COVID-19 can apply to Catholic Community Services for funds to cover child care costs through 12/31/20.  Childcare providers must be a DHS licensed child center or group home or a DES certified family child care provider. Children must be 12 years or younger. Eligibility information and applications available at https://www.ccs-soaz.org/childcare-scholarships

Emergency Rent and Utility Funds: Pio Decimo Center is providing emergency rent/utility funds for COVID-19 related hardship (e.g., decreased work hours, job loss, illness, etc.). Must meet income guidelines.  Call (520) 416-4760 for more information and application appointment

Refugee Family Assistance Program – For clients in Phoenix only. Please see attached flier or reach out to: Aubrey Held, Refugee Youth Mentoring Manager Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. | Workforce Solutions C: 602.206.4587

Testing

Statewide COVID-19 community resources, testing sites and updates: https://arizonatogether.org/#individual-resources

Additional resources posted at: https://www.fcm.arizona.edu/covid-19-resources

Pima County Health Department and IRC will be providing multiple opportunities to access free COVID testing in the upcoming weeks all throughout Tucson. You can check upcoming testing sites here.

Tests are FREE, walk-in (not drive thru), no appointment is necessary, interpretation is available, each participant will receive a free hygiene kit (facemask, hand sanitizer, thermometer and health education materials) and flu shots may also be offered at each location.

The next testing site locations and dates are:

Location Date Time Address
Theresa Lee Public Health Clinic 11/18/2020 3:00 pm – 7:00pm 1493 W Commerce Ct, Tucson, AZ 85745
AZ Bilingual Thanksgiving Event / Tucson Rodeo Grounds 11/21/2020 9:00am- 12:00pm 4823 S 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85714
Freedom Park 12/5/2020 8:00 am – 12:00pm 5000 E 29th St, Tucson, AZ 85711
Emmanuel Grace Baptist Church 12/12/2020 8:00 am – 12:00pm 1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712
House of Neighborly Services 1/9/2021 8:00 am – 12:00pm 243 W 33rd St, Tucson, AZ 85713

Volunteer Opportunities

Area Agency on Aging Mosaic Elder Refugee Center  in Maricopa County is looking for volunteers. Their group classes are closed due to COVID-19 so they are looking for people to help by making phone calls to allow Elders to practice their English and review the history and citizenship questions (This needs to be done in English). The other opportunity is performing wellness calls. These volunteers will need to speak another language and will be matched up with refugees speaking the language they are fluent in. Any issues will be referred to case managers or the nurse for follow up. Please reach out to Derek for more information on how to volunteer in this capacity: Derek.Oetken@aaaphx.org Thank you for your interest in helping our Elder Refugees in this stressful time!

Multilingual Resources

IRC is piloting digital literacy videos. They cover Computer Basics (2 part), distance learning K-12 and general distance learning, School websites, Internet safety, Google translate, Google maps, and Finding Information (2 part) in 5 languages.

The CDC COVID-19 Public Service Announcements (PSAs) webpage, with the following PSAs available:

  • Key Times to Wear a Mask
  • How to Wear a Mask
  • Key Times to Practice Social Distancing
  • I Think/Know I had COVID-19

Please see updates below for new PSAs in target languages:

  • Arabic
  • Burmese
  • Chinese
  • Kinyarwanda
  • Korean
  • Russian
  • Vietnamese
  • *new* Spanish
  • *new* Tagalog
  • *new* Ukrainian

Note that in addition to the PSAs, there’s a corresponding translated transcript.

Quick Links


Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107‬ PIN: ‪105 874 898‬#  Next call: December 17th.

Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289‬ PIN: ‪691 214 821‬#  Next call: December 16th.

Resources  / Services

****STATE WIDE– from Raising Special Kids: Raising Special Kids has created a video to introduce our services to refugee families. The video is available in English and has been translated into Arabic, Kinyarwanda, Rohingya, Somali and Swahili. Please give the website below to families you work with who could use our services. Also let your staff know that these videos are available and the link can be sent to families. All the services that Raising Special Kids provides are free. We assist families with children who have disabilities and are from birth to 26 years of age. We can help the families with school issues as well as get them connected to appropriate community agencies such as DDD, ALTCS, Behavioral Health, Social Security etc. If your agency would like to learn more about our services, I would be happy to do a presentation at a staff meeting. The videos live on a page on our website which can be accessed at: https://raisingspecialkids.org/resources/education/special-education-ramp.
Contact: Kathy Gray-Mangerson, Education System Administrator, Raising Special Kids.

520-441-4416
800-237-3007
Kathygm@raisingspecialkids.org
raisingspecialkids.org

Testing

***FREE COVID-19 testing events this week in Phoenix and in Chandler. Pre-registering online is encouraged, but no one will be turned away that walks up to the event. Each are completely free and photo id/insurance are not required.

Sign up for Chandler testing event: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d45a4aa2aa3f9ce9-121820

12.18.20 COVID Testing Event at the Islamic Center of the East Valley

The Islamic Center of the East Valley, in partnership with Maricopa County and Innovative Connections will be administering COVID-19 PCR tests at ZERO COST to the patient. Individuals wishing to be tested MUST pre-register online. Walk ups will be accommodated to the best of our ability.

Sign up for Phoenix testing event (Drive through!): https://www.southwellness.com/free-testing-events/

Free Testing Events | Southwellness

Southwellness has partnered with Maricopa County to provide no-cost COVID-19 community testing. A strong, happy community is a healthy community.

Transportation to Testing

***If you or your client have MercyCare AHCCCS plan and need transportation to COVID-19 testing (walk up or drive through), call the ComTrans COVID-19 phone line directly at 602-332-2056. Please try to call at least 24 hours before you need transportation. You / your client will need to exit the car as the test is administered.

Volunteer Opportunities

Area Agency on Aging Mosaic Elder Refugee Center  in Maricopa County is looking for volunteers. Their group classes are closed due to COVID-19 so they are looking for people to help by making phone calls to allow Elders to practice their English and review the history and citizenship questions (This needs to be done in English). The other opportunity is performing wellness calls. These volunteers will need to speak another language and will be matched up with refugees speaking the language they are fluent in. Any issues will be referred to case managers or the nurse for follow up. Please reach out to Derek for more information on how to volunteer in this capacity: Derek.Oetken@aaaphx.org Thank you for your interest in helping our Elder Refugees in this stressful time!

Multilingual Resources

IRC is piloting digital literacy videos. They cover Computer Basics (2 part), distance learning K-12 and general distance learning, School websites, Internet safety, Google translate, Google maps, and Finding Information (2 part) in 5 languages.

The CDC COVID-19 Public Service Announcements (PSAs) webpage, with the following PSAs available:

  • Key Times to Wear a Mask
  • How to Wear a Mask
  • Key Times to Practice Social Distancing
  • I Think/Know I had COVID-19

Please see updates below for new PSAs in target languages:

  • Arabic
  • Burmese
  • Chinese
  • Kinyarwanda
  • Korean
  • Russian
  • Vietnamese
  • *new* Spanish
  • *new* Tagalog
  • *new* Ukrainian

Note that in addition to the PSAs, there’s a corresponding translated transcript.

Quick Links

Maricopa County Department of Public Health has a COVID-19 refugee outreach team! The team includes four CHNs, all previously resettled as refugees. Collectively, the CHNs speak Arabic, French, Karen, Thai, Burmese, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Kinyamulenge, and Kirundi. For presentations or information on case investigations, contact tracing, and community outreach, please contact them at RefugeeOutreach@maricopa.gov


Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107‬ PIN: ‪105 874 898‬#  Next call: February 24th
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289‬ PIN: ‪691 214 821‬#  Next call: February 25th.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Maricopa County information: https://www.maricopa.gov/5641/COVID-19-Vaccine

Pima County information: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=669257

ADHS COVID-19 Vaccine information: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-find-vaccine

  • If you are in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B prioritized groups you can register to receive the vaccine at one of the ADHS sites here: https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/


Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine | FDA

  • Translated factsheets for recipients and caregivers.
  • When you enter the site, make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the webpage for hyperlinks to the translated languages below.
  • Available in Arabic, Burmese, Cherokee, Chuukese, Chinese, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hmong, lu Mien, Khmer, Korean, Mam, Marshallese, Navajo, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Yiddish.

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine | FDA

  • Translated factsheets for recipients and caregivers.
  • When you enter the site, make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the webpage for hyperlinks to the translated languages below.
  • Available in Arabic, Burmese, Cherokee, Chuukese, Chinese, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hmong, lu Mien, Khmer, Korean, Mam, Marshallese, Navajo, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Yiddish.

These and more resources are also available in the following location: Translated Materials Library | National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM) (umn.edu)

Music video in Kiswahili (subtitled in English) to promote acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.  It was produced by AALV in Burlington, VT.   (Please note that the singers are not wearing masks and public health is recommending we wear masks when within 6 feet of those outside of our immediate households.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tivs_o63x04&feature=youtu.be

CDC Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines:  Alternative Languages: Arabic | Spanish | Korean | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Tagalog | Traditional Chinese | Vietnamese

COVID Testing

Pima County: 

Pima County Health Department and IRC’s next FREE COVID Testing Event will be at FRIENDSHIP Missionary Baptist Church. Please contact Lizbeth Gonzalez lizbeth.gonzalez@rescue.org for translated flyers for this testing site this Saturday, 2/13/2021 at 850 N 11th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705  from 8am to 1 pm.

  • No appointment or ID needed.
  • We will have language access.
  • Walk up – not drive thru.
  • Individuals are tested first come first serve, therefore, arrive early.
  • We test everyone with or without symptoms.

Our NEXT FREE COVID-19 testing events are:

Date Location Address Time Facebook Event
2/13/21 Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 850 N 11th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 8 am – 1 pm Click HERE
2/20/21 Valencia Library 202 W Valencia Rd. Tucson, AZ 85706 10 am –  1 pm Click HERE

Maricopa County list of testing sites:  https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-testing

Transportation to Testing

***If you or your client have MercyCare AHCCCS plan and need transportation to COVID-19 testing (walk up or drive through), call the ComTrans COVID-19 phone line directly at 602-332-2056. Please try to call at least 24 hours before you need transportation. You / your client will need to exit the car as the test is administered.

Other Resources:

Thinking About Traveling? Use the CDC’s Travel Planner to prepare: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-planner/

What works to reduce burnout and vicarious trauma among refugee service providers?
Switchboard’s new evidence summary assesses the evidence surrounding the effectiveness of several interventions to reduce burnout among staff, including organizational and individual approaches. It includes tips for organizations that are most effective in reducing staff secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, and more.

Digital Literacy and Access

As COVID-19 has forced programs and services online, digital literacy and access have become increasingly important. HIAS has created several multimedia and written resources including an 11-part video series on Navigating Chromebook Usage, a Virtual Communication Guide that explains how to use WhatsApp and Zoom, and a Digital Literacy Toolkit for Newcomer Families (available in English, Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya, and Ukrainian). Switchboard has a Resource Round-up of Multilingual Tutorials on Zoom and Other Online Platforms and two blog posts on remote job readiness resources for clients with varying digital abilities. Additionally, CORE has assembled a list of Resources for Digital Inclusion which can be found at the end of their Teaching Remotely page.

Quick Links

Maricopa County Department of Public Health has a COVID-19 refugee outreach team! The team includes four CHNs, all previously resettled as refugees. Collectively, the CHNs speak Arabic, French, Karen, Thai, Burmese, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Kinyamulenge, and Kirundi. For presentations or information on case investigations, contact tracing, and community outreach, please contact them at RefugeeOutreach@maricopa.gov

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

  • These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.
  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898#  Notes from last call are here. Next call: March 11th
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#  Notes from last call are here, including updates to questions asked during the call. Next call: March 10th.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

AHCCCS members can schedule non-emergency transportation, if needed, to attend drive-through and other vaccine appointments. Call the health plan number on this page: Non-Emergency Transportation Contacts for AHCCCS Members

Communities of Color COVID Vaccine Awareness Volunteer Day on March 6th.

If you have not had now will have access to the vaccine before March 6th, become a volunteer at the State COVID-19 new drive-through vaccine site that Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Volunteers will be vaccinated that day and scheduled for their 2nd dose at the appropriate time. Volunteer duties for non-clinical and clinical can include checking in patients, volunteers, confirming appointments, scheduling second dose appointments, directing traffic, administering vaccines, and so on.

Volunteer shifts: 6:00am – 12:00noon; 11:00am – 5:00pm

Email: tina.m.brown@azcompletehealth.com your name and email address to register.

Maricopa County information: https://www.maricopa.gov/5641/COVID-19-Vaccine. If you are in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B prioritized groups you can register for the vaccine here: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations. Maricopa County and ADHS are now vaccinating those aged 55+. The U of A ADHS site and Pima County Health Departments age limit is still 65+. https://www.abc15.com/news/vaccine-in-arizona/adhs-those-55-and-older-now-eligible-for-covid-19-vaccine-in-arizona

Pima County information: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=669257. If you are in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B prioritized groups you can register for the vaccine here:  https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=690372

ADHS COVID-19 Vaccine information: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-find-vaccine. If you are in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B prioritized groups you can register to receive the vaccine at one of the ADHS sites here: https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/

Maricopa County Department of Public Health hopes to have refugee-specific COVID-19 vaccines PODs in the next few weeks, and they are working on translating registration instructions.

Pima County-Specific Vaccine Information

IRC, FEMA, and Pima County Health Department have partnered to host vaccination events with on-site registration aimed toward refugee communities. Please reach out to Lizbeth Gonzalez for more information about when those events are taking place.

IRC and Pima County Health Department want to ensure that all communities have access to COVID-19 vaccinations regardless of the language they speak. IRC has translated COVID-19 Group 1B eligibility and registration guidelines into 8 languages. Pdfs and JPEGs for you to be able to share with Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants are HERE. Here is the Facebook post with these images. PLEASE SHARE!

IRC will update these guidelines shortly to include 65+, faith leaders and the U of A AZDHS registration site information soon.

Here is the text as well:

ENGLISH

COVID-19 Group 1B Vaccine Registration information

COVID Vaccines are now available for the following groups via Pima county:

  1. People aged 70 years and older  
  2. Prioritized Essential Workers: Protective service occupations (law enforcement, corrections, firefighters, and other emergency response staff, 911 call center staff and trainees in high-risk settings)  
  3. Teachers/Educators/Child Care Workers  

Register now at:  www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine

Or call: 520-222-0119

ARABIC

معلومات التسجيل للقاح فيروس كرونا  “” المجموعة ب٢

 لقاحات فيروس كرونا  متاحة الآن للمجموعات التالية عبر مقاطعة بيما: (Pima)

 .1 الأشخاص الذين تبلغ أعمارهم 70 عامًا فما فوق.

 .2 العمال الأساسيون ذوو الأولوية: العاملون في خدمات توفير الحماية (إنفاذ القانون ، والإصلاحيات ، ورجال الإطفاء ، و

 غيرهم من موظفي الاستجابة للطوارئ ، وموظفي مركز الاتصال 911 و

 المتدربين في الأماكن عالية الخطورة).

 .3 المعلمين / التربويين / العاملين في رعاية الأطفال

 سجل الآن على www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine:

 أو اتصل بالرقم (520)222-0119:

DARI

اطلاعات ثبت نام واکسن کوید ۱۹ گروه ب

واکسن کوید در حال حاضر برای گروههای

زیر در سایت پیما موجود می باشد.

۱- گروه سنی ۷۰ سال و بالاتر

۲- گرو های کاری خاص:

سرویس و گروه های محافظتی، کارمندان پلیس و قانون، آتش نشانها، گرو های ضروری و اورژانسی، کارمندان ۹۱۱ و اورژانس، اوپراتورهای تلفنی، دانش آموزان مشغول آموزش در کارهای پر خطر

۳- معلمین استادان دانش آموزان و مراکز نگهداری کودکان

میتوانند در سایت زیر ثبت نام کرده

www.pima.gov/covid19vaccin

یا شماره ۵۲۰۲۲۲۰۱۱۹ تماس بگیرند

FRENCH

Informations d’enregistrement du vaccin COVID-19 groupe 1B

Le vaccin Covid-19 est disponible pour les groupes suivants dans la commune de Pima:

  1. Personnes âgées de 70 ans et plus
  2. Travailleurs essentiels prioritaires: Personnel des services de protection (secteur de la sécurité, pompiers et autre personnel d’intervention d’urgence, personnel du centre d’appels 911 et tous les autres agents dans les milieux à haut risque).
  3. Enseignants / éducateurs / travailleurs de la garde d’enfants

Enregistrez-vous sur: www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine

Ou appelez le numéro: 520-222-0119

KINYARWANDA

Amakuru yo Kwiyandikisha Urukingo rwa COVID-19: Itsinda 1B

Inkingo za covid ziraboneka ku bantu bo mubyiciro bikurikira muri pima county:

  1. Abantu bafite imyaka 70 kuzamura 
  2. Abakozi bibanze barimo (abashinzwe kuzimya inkongi, abashishikariza abantu gushyira mubikorwa amategeko, abantu bashinzwe ubutabazi bwihutirwa, abakozi bo ku murongo wa 911 nabarimo kuhakorera amahugurwa bari mubafite ibyago byinshi) 
  3. Abarimu ndetse nabita kubana bato  

iyandikishe nonaha kuri: www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine

Cyangwa uhamagare:  520-222-0119

NEPALI

COVID-19 समूह १बी भ्याक्सिन पंजीकरण जानकारी

कोभीदको खोपहरू अब निम्न समूहहरूको लागि पीमा काउन्टीमा उपलब्ध छन्।

१. ७० बर्ष र त्यो भन्दा माथि उमेरका लागि

२. प्राथमिक कामका लागि आवश्यक कामदार

सुरक्षा सेवा पेशा (कानून प्रवर्तन, सुधार, अग्निशामक, र अन्य आपतकालीन प्रतिक्रिया कर्मचारी, इस्टाफ ९११ कल सेन्टर कर्मचारी र उच्च जोखिम सेटिंग्समा प्रशिक्षार्थी)

३. शिक्षक / शिक्षकहरू / बाल हेरचाह कर्मचारी

अब दर्ता गर्नुहोस् : www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine

वा कल गर्नुहोस् 520-222-0119

SOMALI

COVID-19 Kooxda 1B macluumaadka Diiwangelinta Talaalka

Talaalka COVID 19 ayaa hadda loo heli karaa qodobada soosocdo oo lagahelikaro degmada Pima:

  1. Dadka jira 70 sano iyo wixi kawen
    2. Mudnaanta Shaqaalaha Muhiimka ah: Shaqooyinka dowladaha (sharciyada Kuba fuliyaan, sixitaanka, dab demiska, iyo shaqaalaha kale ee xaaladaha imarjansiga degdegga ah, shaqaalaha xarunta wicitaanka ee 911 iyo tababbarayaasha goobaha halista sare ah)
    3. Macallimiinta / Aqoonyahannada / Shaqaalaha Daryeelka Carruurta 

Isdiiwaangeli hada: www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine

Ama wac: 520-222-0119

SPANISH

Información de registro de la vacuna COVID-19 Grupo 1B

Las vacunas para COVID ahora están disponibles para los siguientes grupos en el condado de Pima:

  1. Personas de mayores de 70 años  
  2. Trabajadores esenciales: Oficios de servicios de protección (fuerzas policiales, trabajadores de prisiones/cárceles, bomberos u otro personal de emergencias. Trabajadores del centro de llamadas al 911 y aprendices en trabajos de alto riesgo).

3.Maestros/Educadores/Personal de guarderías infantiles.  

Regístrate en: www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine

Si necesita ayuda por telefono marque al: 520-222-0119

SWAHILI

Maelezo ya Usajili wa Chanjo ya COVID-19 Group 1B

Chanjo ca COVID inapatikana sasa kwa makundi yafuatayo mkoani (kaunti) Pima:  

  1. Watu wazima wa miaka 70 na zaidi ya 70 
  2. Wafanyakazi muhimu waliowekwa kipaumbele: 

Wafanyakazi wa huduma ya usalama (polisi, wafanyakazi gerezani, wazima moto, wanaofanya kazi za huduma ya dharura, wanaopokea simu za 911, na wale wanaofanya mafunzo mahali ambapo pana hatari zaidi.  

  1. Walimu/Wakufunzi/Wafanyakazi wa huduma ya watoto.   

Unaweza jiandikisha hapa: www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine

Kama unahitaji usaidizi, unaweza pigia: 520-222-0119 

Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine | FDA

  • Translated factsheets for recipients and caregivers.
  • When you enter the site, make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the webpage for hyperlinks to the translated languages below.
  • Available in Arabic, Burmese, Cherokee, Chuukese, Chinese, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hmong, lu Mien, Khmer, Korean, Mam, Marshallese, Navajo, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Yiddish.

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine | FDA

  • Translated factsheets for recipients and caregivers.
  • When you enter the site, make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the webpage for hyperlinks to the translated languages below.
  • Available in Arabic, Burmese, Cherokee, Chuukese, Chinese, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hmong, lu Mien, Khmer, Korean, Mam, Marshallese, Navajo, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Yiddish.

These and more resources are also available in the following location: Translated Materials Library | National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM) (umn.edu)

Music video in Kiswahili (subtitled in English) to promote acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.  It was produced by AALV in Burlington, VT.   (Please note that the singers are not wearing masks and public health is recommending we wear masks when within 6 feet of those outside of our immediate households.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tivs_o63x04&feature=youtu.be

CDC Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines:  Alternative Languages: Arabic | Spanish | Korean | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Tagalog | Traditional Chinese | Vietnamese

Transportation to Testing

***If you or your client have MercyCare AHCCCS plan and need transportation to COVID-19 testing (walk up or drive through), call the ComTrans COVID-19 phone line directly at 602-332-2056. Please try to call at least 24 hours before you need transportation. You / your client will need to exit the car as the test is administered.

Other Resources / Events:

Digital Literacy and Access

As COVID-19 has forced programs and services online, digital literacy and access have become increasingly important. HIAS has created several multimedia and written resources including an 11-part video series on Navigating Chromebook Usage, a Virtual Communication Guide that explains how to use WhatsApp and Zoom, and a Digital Literacy Toolkit for Newcomer Families (available in English, Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya, and Ukrainian). Switchboard has a Resource Round-up of Multilingual Tutorials on Zoom and Other Online Platforms and two blog posts on remote job readiness resources for clients with varying digital abilities. Additionally, CORE has assembled a list of Resources for Digital Inclusion which can be found at the end of their Teaching Remotely page.

Quick Links

All of these refugee health emails are archived and available here: https://www.rispnet.com/archive/

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join:google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898#  Next call: March 25th
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/cjz-zgth-tvvCall in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#  Next call: March 24th.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

MCDPH and PCHD are distributing vaccines to the public in a few different ways. One is through Point of Distribution (PODs) that run everyday. They are also conducting pop up vaccine events directed to certain zip codes and priority categories (essential services, child care workers, age groups, etc.). 

POP UP sites to be aware of:

  • March 17-24, Harmon Park, Phoenix: Those 55 years of age and older who are residents of the area (85009, 85007, 85004, 85003 85034) can call 602-542-1000 to register and use code PHXHARMON. Drive up and pedestrian friendly.
  • Saturdays, Emerson Elementary School, Mesa:For persons eligible (55+ or essential workers in certain categories) that live in 85201/85202/85203/85204/85210 register here: https://form.jotform.com/210453995360155
  • Tucson: IRC and Pima Health Dept are conducting various pop up events for refugees. To receive text message and / or email alerts about these events, email Gonzalez@rescue.org

Here is a notification sign up that individuals can fill out to be notified when an event is coming to their zip code in Maricopa County.  

Maricopa County information: https://www.maricopa.gov/5641/COVID-19-Vaccine. If you are in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B prioritized groups you can register for the vaccine here: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations

Pima County information: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=669257. If you are in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B prioritized groups you can register for the vaccine here:  https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=690372

ADHS COVID-19 Vaccine information: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-find-vaccine. If you are in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B prioritized groups you can register to receive the vaccine at one of the ADHS sites here: https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/

Those without computer access or needing extra help registering using the ADHS vaccine registration website for appointments at any of the state operated PODs can call 1-844-542-8201 to be connected with someone who can assist.

Important COVID-19 Information:

  • COVID-19 Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People (Created 03/10/2021)Summary: A person is fully vaccinated if they completed a COVID-19 vaccine series at least 2 weeks ago. • Fully vaccinated persons can visit indoors with other vaccinated people without masks or physical distancing. • Can visit indoors with other Unvaccinated people from ONE household without masks or physical distancing.
  • Quarantine Guidance for Household and Close Contacts of a Person with COVID-19 Revised – 10 March 2021
  • Comparison of COVID-19 Vaccines – HERE
  • The Department of Health and Human Services has decided to include the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program in the President’s directive to prioritize teachers and school staff for the COVID-19 vaccine. The Federal Retail Pharmacy Programis prioritizing vaccinations for teachers, school staff and child care workers during the month of March. Starting on March 8th, teachers and school staff in pre-K-12 schools and child care programs, including URM and UAC care providers, will be able to sign up for an appointment at over 9,000 pharmacy locations participating in the federal program nationwide.

COVID-19 Testing 

Pima County Health Department and IRC’s next FREE COVID Testing Event will be at International Rescue Committee (IRC Office) on 3/19/21 & 3/20/21. I have attached translated flyers for these testing sites.

  • No appointment or ID needed.
  • We will have language access.
  • Walk up – not drive thru.
  • Individuals are tested first come first serve, therefore, arrive early.
  • We test everyone with or without symptoms.

Our NEXT FREE COVID-19 testing events are: 

Date Location Address Time Facebook Event
3/19/21 & 3/20/21  International Rescue Committee (IRC Office) 1011 N Craycroft Rd, Tucson, AZ 85711 10 am –  2 pm Click HERE

This event will have FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTION from the Community Food Bank and ICNA Relief and FREE BOOKS from Make Way for Books.

Maricopa County list of testing sites:  https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-testing

Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

COVID-19 Webinar

Community-Led COVID-19 Messaging: Practical Tools for Building Hyperlocal Custom Communications
Thursday, March 25, 2:00-3:15PM ET – Switchboard

What will this webinar cover?
Customized health communications developed for specific local communities are thought to be more effective than “one-size-fits-all” mass campaigns. Even materials that are linguistically appropriate and culturally informed may be insufficient if they ignore the importance of local knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Community-led, hyperlocal communications are those that are developed by and for members of narrowly defined local communities. In this webinar, community leaders will discuss their experiences with this messaging approach and will share two tools you can use in your own communications work: NRC-RIM’s Community-Led Messaging for COVID-19 Contact Tracing Guidebook and a forthcoming guidebook for COVID-19 vaccine messaging. These tools were developed by NRC-RIM in partnership with IDEO.org, with input from multiple diverse communities.Is this webinar for me?
This webinar is designed for refugee service providers and community leaders seeking to collaborate with local community members in developing COVID-19 communications, including those related to vaccination and contact tracing. Those who serve refugees, immigrants, and migrants in other capacities are also welcome to attend.Why should I participate?
After participating in this 75-minute session, you will be able to:

  • Describe the steps involved in building community-led COVID-19 messaging;
  • Name promising strategies currently being used by community leaders around the U.S.;
  • Name two tools for using this communications approach in your work with local communities; and
  • Begin developing your own COVID-19 messaging in partnership with communities using the guidebooks and visual toolkits presented during the session.

Register here: https://rescue.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J79Xo6uERO6DsGqd5FwqkQ?mc_cid=48380bd280&mc_eid=6e73687632

Quick Links

All of these refugee health emails are archived and available here: https://www.rispnet.com/archive/

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

  • These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.
  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107‬ PIN: ‪105 874 898‬#  Next call: March 25th  
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289‬ PIN: ‪691 214 821‬#  Next call: April 21st. 

COVID-19 Vaccinations

  • Arizona has expanded it’s COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. While they are excited to expand eligibility, there is still a limited supply of vaccines and appointments will likely go quickly.
  • On Wednesday, March 24th, Maricopa County opened vaccine appointments to all residents aged 18 and older for those receiving the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) vaccine and 16 and older for those receiving the Pfizer vaccine, per the vaccine FDA Emergency Use Authorizations.  Pfizer is the only vaccine currently approved for people as young as 16.  There are still no vaccines approved for use in children under 16.
  • Starting Thursday, March 25 at 9:00 a.m., Pima County will expand current COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include three major groups based on three criteria:
    • AGE – anyone over age 55, regardless of other health conditions or type of employment.
    • RISK – anyone over age 16 who has a disability OR is experiencing homelessness OR lives in a congregate setting/receives in-home or long-term care OR has a high-risk medical condition as defined by the Centers for Disease Control: Cancer, Chronic kidney disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Downs syndrome, Heart conditions (including heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies), Immunocompromised state aka weakened immune system, from solid organ transplant, Obesity (Body Max Index (BMI) over 30 kg/m2 or higher or < 40 kg/m2), Severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2), Sickle cell disease, Smoking, Type 2 diabetes mellitus
    • WORK – anyone over age 16 who works in the following fields, regardless of other health conditions: Healthcare worker and healthcare support, Emergency medical services, Long-term care facility staff, In-home long-term care, Protective services, Education and childcare, Food and agriculture, Restaurants and bars, U.S. Postal Service, Manufacturing, Grocery and convenience stores (including carnicerias), State and local government, Public transportation (buses, light rail, Uber, Lyft, taxis, etc.), Auto repair, Business/financial services, clergy/faith leaders/ traditional healers, Court personnel, Critical trade (plumber, electrician, HVAC, etc.), Food packaging, Funeral services, Gas stations, Power/utility, Shelters, Warehouse distribution, Veterinarians and veterinary staff.

MCDPH and PCHD are distributing vaccines to the public in a few different ways. One is through Point of Distribution (PODs) that run everyday. They are also conducting pop up vaccine events directed to certain zip codes and priority categories (essential services, child care workers, age groups, etc.). 

Here is a notification sign up that individuals can fill out to be notified when an event is coming to their zip code in Maricopa County.  

You can register to receive the vaccine at one of the County or ADHS sites here:  https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/

Maricopa County information: https://www.maricopa.gov/5641/COVID-19-Vaccine. Register for the vaccine at MCDPH sites here: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations

Pima County information: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=669257. Register for the vaccine at PCHD sites here:  https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=690372

ADHS COVID-19 Vaccine information: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-find-vaccine. ADHS now opens appointments at 11 a.m. each Friday for State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona State University’s Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Tempe, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, the University of Arizona in central Tucson, and, as of this Friday, Yuma Civic Center in Yuma County.

Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

  • The New American Neighbors video outreach project has just produced and posted a set of nine videos concerning COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy. The videos are in Amharic, Arabic, Dari, French, Nepali, Pashtu, Somali, Spanish, and Tigrinya. Videos in Burmese and Karen will be added soon. An English transcript is attached. Each video addresses the facts that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, and has been scientifically tested. Community members are urged to get their vaccinations when they are available for their priority group, but also to continue the good public health practices of wearing a mask, washing hands, and maintaining social distancing. Most important, the videos call out the misinformation in each video host’s community that might discourage people from obtaining their vaccinations. Addressing prioritized barriers, the hosts assure their audiences that vaccinations do NOT change DNA, control minds, insert microchips, cause cancer, or prevent pregnancy.  They have also provided an English approximation of the script which is the foundation for the hosts’ videos. This is not an exact translation as each video is tailored to speak to the concerns of the specific communities. Paul Stein with New American Neighbors says “There is no cost for using these videos. Please share this link as broadly as you like, and let me know if you need assistance for cross-posting or embedding the videos for your own outreach.” He can be reached at paulsteinrefugees@gmail.com
  • The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Atlanta worked with Imam Sheikh Salahadin Wazir, the founder and CEO of African and Immigrant Communities in America, Inc. to create videos to encourage vaccine acceptance in a wide variety of Muslim communities in and around Atlanta. Watch the videos in English, Amharic, Arabic, Harari, Oromo, and Somali.
  • Under the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine section of the FDA website, please note that the translations of the Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers is now in the following languages:Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, Chuukese, Farsi, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Yiddish

More COVID-19 Resources
Vaccine 101: Information for Organizations Serving RIM (Refugee Immigrant and Migrant) Communities

This video training is intended to aid those working with RIM Communities in understanding the COVID-19 vaccine and effectively about the COVID-19 vaccine to the communities they serve. Watch the video (26 min) to learn about the vaccine, or download the PowerPoint if you prefer to present the information to your group yourself.

Funding Opportunities

New funding opportunity for Community COVID-19 Testing

Community organizations can apply for up to $50,000 in funds to support increased testing for COVID-19. In an effort to better reach communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the NIH-funded RADx-UP program is soliciting applications for its Community Collaboration Mini-Grant Program. These funds are available to community-serving organizations, faith-based organizations, and tribal nations and organizations. Funds can be used to help advance capacity, training, support, and community experience with COVID-19 testing.

These funds can be used to support personnel costs, contracted service costs (transportation, translation, and interpretation, etc.), and non-personnel costs (participant incentives, information and technology equipment, etc.) for example:

  • Funds could be used to remove barriers to COVID-19 communication and outreach, COVID-19 testing and diagnosis, and COVID-19 data collection and dissemination testing;
  • Funds could be used to evaluate strategies for the communication of test results and follow-up measures to underserved and vulnerable populations;
  • Funds could be used to provide training and education for community members around COVID-19 testing topics of interest to the community;
  • Funds could be used to generate communication materials related to COVID-19 testing that will increase understanding of isolation, quarantine, or availability of wrap-around support.

For more examples and application instructions go to: https://radx-up.org/apply-for-grant/. The deadline for applications is April 16th.

Employment Opportunities 

Quick Links

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/jjg-stiy-sdxCall in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898#  Next call: April 22nd
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/cjz-zgth-tvvCall in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#  Next call: April 21st.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Arizona has expanded it’s COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. While they are excited to expand eligibility, there is still a limited supply of vaccines and appointments will likely go quickly.

Maricopa County information – https://www.maricopa.gov/5641/COVID-19-Vaccine

  • Register for the vaccine at MCDPH sites here: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations
  • To be registered over the phone instead of completing the registration link, call 602-506-6767 and select option 3 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Currently they are able to offer call center support in Arabic, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Burmese, Thai, and Karen.
  • Here is a notification sign upthat individuals can fill out to be notified when an event is coming to their zip code in Maricopa County.

Maricopa County Pop up events:

  • Downtown Phoenix – Ages 18+ Sponsored by Unite Here Local 11 / UFCW Local 99When: Sunday 4/18 and Monday 4/19  Where: 1021 S 7th Ave, Phoenix AZ 85007 Vaccine: Moderna Registration: https://curative.come/sites/27848#9/33.4381/-112.0824
  • Peoria Community Center – Appointments available now for next week – Ages 16+ When: April 19,20,21 (8am to 4pm) Where: Peoria Community Center, 8335 W Jefferson St Peoria, AZ 85345 Vaccine: Pfizer By appointment only. Registration: https://kordinator.mhealthcoach.net/vcl/parkview

Pima County information – https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=669257

  • Register for the vaccine at PCHD sites here:  https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=690372
  • Vaccine eligibilityin Pima County is now open to everyone 16 years and older. The IRC and Pima County Health Department want to ensure that all communities have access to COVID-19 vaccinations regardless of the language they speak. IRC has translated updated eligibility and registration guidelines into 8 languages. Please see the attached handouts and share widely! You can also share this information on Facebook here.

ADHS COVID-19 Vaccine information: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-find-vaccine

  • ADHS now opens appointments at 11 a.m. each Friday for State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona State University’s Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Tempe, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, the University of Arizona in central Tucson, and, as of this Friday, Yuma Civic Center in Yuma County.
  • You can also register to receive the vaccine at one of the County or ADHS sites here:  https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/

Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine

The Arizona state health department is pausing its use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. The CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine in the United States out of an abundance of caution, effective Tuesday, April 13. The government is taking these steps as a precaution until they have time to review six incidents of rare blood clots that occurred within two weeks of receiving Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. These six cases occurred in women between 18 and 48 who were among the 6.8 million Americans who received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. This announcement shows that the federal oversight process of a vaccine’s safety and effectiveness is working, and all steps are being taken to protect Americans. While this announcement is challenging, it highlights the vaccine evaluation process. The CDC and the FDA are closely monitoring vaccines for safety and effectiveness, and if there is a cause for concern, they will take action because safety is paramount. This protocol should give all Arizonans confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine, and individuals should proceed with getting vaccinated as soon as possible to fight the virus.

People who have received the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine within the past three weeks who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath should seek medical care right away.

Grant Opportunities

The CDC Foundation is excited to announce a new funding opportunity that will award over $6.7 million to community-based organizations (CBOs) to support efforts to increase influenza and COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake for adults in racial and/or ethnic populations experiencing disparities in the United States. The CDC Foundation will provide $50,000 – $100,000 awards to an estimated 100 CBOs to: (1) Equip influential messengers by providing trainings and materials; (2) Increase vaccination opportunities and enhance provider partnerships; and (3) Establish partnerships with state and local health departments.

The Request for Proposals can be accessed below. Applications are due by 12:00 pm on Monday, April 26, 2021. Selected CBOs will be notified of their selection by May 7, 2021.

Request for Proposals [PDF]

Other Opportunities

Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program is looking for an AmeriCorps Summer Associate  VISTA to support COVID-19 efforts. Program Start/End Date: 06/07/2021  –   08/13/202
Interested applicants can apply here: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=103190

Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

More COVID-19 Resources

Quick Links

Quick News 

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join:google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898#  Next call: May 6.
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/cjz-zgth-tvvCall in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#  Next call: May 5.

COVID-19 Vaccinations in Arizona

  • Arizona is now vaccinating all individuals ages 16 and older (16 and older for the Pfizer vaccine, 18 and older for the Moderna and Janssen vaccines).
  • Starting next week, ADHS is allowing eligible doctors’ offices and other neighborhood providers to order the Moderna vaccine directly from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) without needing an allocation from a county health department. More than 100,000 are expected to be available for direct ordering during the first week.
  • Seven state-run vaccination sites in the greater Phoenix area, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff nowguarantee vaccinations to walk-in patientsduring operating hours, though appointments are still encouraged for faster visits. Optional registration here: https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/
  • The CDC and FDA encourage the public to report possible side effects throughV-Safeand /or the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

Immunization Records:

Educational Events for Your Community / Organization:

  • If you would like to request a COVID educational event at your organization fill out this request form. On-site interpretation may be available for the event!: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C89XJT2

Johnson and Johnson / Janssen Vaccine Information: The US including Arizona have resumed the use of the Johnson and Johnson / Janssen COVID vaccine after pausing to research further into some reported side effects of the vaccine. Resources are available below:

Maricopa County information: Register for the vaccine at MCDPH sites here: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations

  • To be registered over the phone instead of completing the registration link, call 602-506-6767 and select option 3 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Currently they are able to offer call center support in Arabic, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Burmese, Thai, and Karen.  You may have to leave a voice message and they will get back to you.

Pima County information: Register for the vaccine at PCHD sites here:  https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=690372

Events / Trainings

The National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM) and IDEO.org, a nonprofit design studio, developed community-led messages for vaccine confidence in genuine partnership with specific RIM communities. Over the past 4 months, they have worked in 7 communities, in 8 languages, and tested materials with over 93 people to develop campaign materials. Now, community leaders across the country can use their Makespace tool to create their own materials using the same community-led process. Join us to learn about this hyperlocal communications strategy and other tools that NRC-RIM offers to support your work.  sign up for upcoming webinars on May 13 or May 27.

Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

  • NRC-RIM: The Get the Facts and Get Vaccinated campaigns have now been published in 26 different languages with more on the way. The newest resource, After You’re Vaccinated, is available in English with more languages coming soon.
  • “Vaccination Is” Campaign
    NRC-RIM is excited to share the “Vaccination Is” campaign page, with suites of vaccine-related materials available in English, Spanish, Creole Arabic, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Dari, and Nepali.
  • Ramadan Content
    If your office is looking for content to use that could be adapted for client communications such as social media posts or direct messaging for Ramadan, hereis the script used with Imam Wazir for our Ramadan video. Feel free to use and adapt as you need for any Ramadan-related messaging!
    The Ramadan and Vaccine videos are here! These videos are available in English, Arabic, Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo and Somali.
  • Social Media Graphics and Flyers
    Please continue sharing the social media graphics – Halal, DNA,and Quick Facts – as well as Quick Fact Flyers.
    There are branded and non-branded versions of each of these resources. These resources available to your office however you would like to use them (i.e., WhatsApp, TextIt, Facebook, distributing to partners, etc.)
  • National Center for Mobility Management
    The National Center for Mobility Management has resources available around public transit and public health partnerships, with specific resources on mobilizing public transit to promote COVID-19 vaccine access.

More Resources

Quick Links

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join:google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898#  Next call: May 20.
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/cjz-zgth-tvvCall in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#  Next call: May 19.

COVID-19 Vaccination Info and Events

  • From May 24th through July 4th, Uber and Lyft are both going to offer everyone free rides to and from vaccination sites. The two ride-sharing firms will promote the offer in their apps. Lyft says it will offer a “ride code” to cover up to $15 of each trip to or from a vaccination site, adding that it expects the code will erase “most, if not all, of riders’ fares.” The offer covers daytime rides on bikes and scooters, as well as in cars. People will be able to sign up for their ride code by May 24, the company said.

Maricopa County: 

  • Tuesday, May 18 | 9:30am to 1:30pm WHERE: Refugee and Immigrant Community for Empowerment (RICE) 3581 W Northern Ave #8, Phoenix, AZ 85051
    Registration encouraged before hand but not required: 602-506-6767 option 3 of https://curative.com/sites/28596/ WHAT: COVID-19 Vaccines, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. Language support will be offered in Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, and more.
  • May 14 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Harold W Smith Elementary School, 6534 N 63rd Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85301  (Note from MCDPH: Thank you so much to our partner organizations including the Glendale Elementary School District, the University of Arizona vaccination team, RICE, AZ Korean Nurses Association, Philippine Nurses Association of Arizona, Thai-American Association of Arizona, and the One Community initiative for their support of this event.) We will be offering Moderna and Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) vaccines at this event for all persons 18 years of age and older. Pre-registration is encouraged by calling the MCDPH call center at 602-506-6767. An appointment is not required in order to receive a vaccine at the event. Language support will be offered with interpreters on site as much as possible. Attached to this email are fliers currently in English and Spanish, we are working on other languages and I will send those along as soon as they are available.

Pima County:

  • Pima County Health Department’s this week’s mobile vaccination clinicswill be atthe following locations:
    • No appointment or ID needed.
    • We will have language access.
    • Every adult age 18 and above is eligible

Our NEXT FREE COVID-19 vaccination events are: 

Date   Location   Address   Time   Type  
Wednesday 5/12 Roche Diagnostics 1910 E Innovation Park Drive Tucson AZ 85755 7:30pm – 11:30pm Moderna

J&J
Wednesday 5/12 Ott Family YMCA 401 S Prudence Rd, Tucson, AZ  85710 8am-12pm Moderna

J&J
Wednesday 5/12 Sun City Oro Valley 1565 E Rancho Vistoso Blvd, Oro Valley, AZ 85755 1pm-4pm Moderna

J&J
Thursday 5/13 Muslim Community Center of Tucson 5100 N Kevy Pl. Tucson, AZ 85704 8AM – 11AM Moderna
Thursday 5/13 Antigone’s Book Store 411 N 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 5PM – 8PM Moderna

J&J
Friday 5/14 Fox Tucson Theater 17 W Congress, Tucson, AZ 4pm – 8pm Moderna
Saturday 5/15 Our Lady of Fatima 1950 Irvington Place Tucson, AZ 85746 8am-12pm Moderna
Saturday 5/15 Dunbar Pavillion 325 W 2nd St Tucson, AZ 85705 11am – 3pm Moderna
Sunday 5/16 Sacred Heart Church 601 E. Fort Lowell Rd Tucson AZ 85705 8am – 2pm Moderna
Sunday 5/16 St. Odilia 7570 N Paseo Del Norte, Tucson, AZ 85704 8am -12pm Moderna

 

Educational Events for Your Community / Organization:

  • If you would like to request a COVID educational event at your organization fill out this request form. On-site interpretation may be available for the event!: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C89XJT2

Maricopa County information: Register for the vaccine at MCDPH sites here: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations

  • To be registered over the phone instead of completing the registration link, call 602-506-6767 and select option 3 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Currently they are able to offer call center support in Arabic, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Burmese, Thai, and Karen.  You may have to leave a voice message and they will get back to you.

Pima County information: Register for the vaccine at PCHD sites here:  https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=690372

Events / Trainings

The National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM) and IDEO.org, a nonprofit design studio, developed community-led messages for vaccine confidence in genuine partnership with specific RIM communities. Over the past 4 months, they have worked in 7 communities, in 8 languages, and tested materials with over 93 people to develop campaign materials. Now, community leaders across the country can use their Makespace tool to create their own materials using the same community-led process. Join us to learn about this hyperlocal communications strategy and other tools that NRC-RIM offers to support your work.  sign up for upcoming webinars on May 13 or May 27.

Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

  • NRC-RIM: The Get the Facts and Get Vaccinated campaigns have now been published in 26 different languages with more on the way. The newest resource, After You’re Vaccinated, is available in English with more languages coming soon.
  • “Vaccination Is” Campaign
    NRC-RIM is excited to share the “Vaccination Is” campaign page, with suites of vaccine-related materials available in English, Spanish, Creole Arabic, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Dari, and Nepali.
  • Ramadan Content
    If your office is looking for content to use that could be adapted for client communications such as social media posts or direct messaging for Ramadan, hereis the script used with Imam Wazir for our Ramadan video. Feel free to use and adapt as you need for any Ramadan-related messaging!
    The Ramadan and Vaccine videos are here! These videos are available in English, Arabic, Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo and Somali.
  • Social Media Graphics and Flyers
    Please continue sharing the social media graphics – Halal, DNA,and Quick Facts – as well as Quick Fact Flyers.
    There are branded and non-branded versions of each of these resources. These resources available to your office however you would like to use them (i.e., WhatsApp, TextIt, Facebook, distributing to partners, etc.)
  • National Center for Mobility Management
    The National Center for Mobility Management has resourcesavailable around public transit and public health partnerships, with specific resources on mobilizing public transit to promote COVID-19 vaccine access.

More Resources 

  • Get Help with your Internet Bill! The Emergency Broadband Benefit, or EBB, was launched Wednesday to help a wide range of people hit economically by the coronavirus pandemic. It can pay $50 every month toward the cost of your Internet service, and it is available to all families who lost some income in the last year and earn less than $198,000, among others. For most people, signing up is a two-part process of proving your eligibility to the government, and then telling your internet service provider that you want the discount. It involves uploading (or physically mailing) some paperwork, but the FCC says the process shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.The new monthly discount program is called the Emergency Broadband Benefit, or EBB. There’s a different government program called Lifeline that provides basic service for low-income people. People already enrolled in Lifeline can also get the EBB, but th EBB covers many more people. Apply here: https://www.checklifeline.org/lifeline/?id=nv_flow&ebbp=true
  • FEMA Funeral Assistance:COVID-19 Funeral Assistance | FEMA.gov Multilingual flyers attached.
  • Find a COVID-19 vaccine near you: https://www.vaccines.gov/Get a text message by TEXTING  (Your zip code) to 438829
  • Please consider joining these upcoming National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM) webinars, designed to empower participants to answer questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and co-design and co-create hyper-local COVID-19 community health messaging that most resonates with their local communities in addition to a new funding opportunity from NACCHO.
    • Join this Webinar: Practical Approaches for Discussing COVID-19 Vaccines with Clients | National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM) (nrcrim.org) to hear from experts from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) on how to build clients’ trust and strengthen your ability to answer clients’ commonly asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine while reinforcing their safety, dignity, and agency. You’ll learn how to answer clients’ questions about COVID-19 vaccines, know where to find COVID-19 vaccine resources for your clients, and develop customized approaches that resonates with your community in order to be comfortable within your knowledge base, and what you do not know.  Date: May 19, 2021 @ 12:00 PM (EST)
    • The NRC-RIM  partnered with IDEO.org to build COVID-19 vaccination campaigns through the co-creation and co-design of community health messages for refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) communities. NRC-RIM’s “Vaccination Is” Campaign , has a number of community-led, hyper-local resources from several RIM communities in 8 languages. These resources include posters, social media assets, comics, and factsheets – co-created by RIM community leaders and tested within the communities. The campaign also features MAKESPACE , a resource designed to help RIM communities create their own COVID-19 vaccine health messaging. MAKESPACE has resource templates and tutorials to walk community members through the process. If partners are interested in learning more about how to create their own COVID-19 vaccine messaging, please attend these informational and training sessions entitled: Webinar: Community-Led COVID-19 Messaging that Supports Vaccine Confidence, hosted by NRC-RIM and IDEO.org.  Dates for these sessions: May 13, May 27, June 10, 2021 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
    • *New* Funding Opportunity: COVID-19 Prevention & Mitigation Among Refugee, Immigrant, & Migrant Communities – With support from CDC and in partnership with NRC-RIM, NACCHO is pleased to announce a funding opportunity (up to $250,000) for local health departments and community-based organizations to partner to rapidly to scale up innovative COVID-19 education, testing, contact tracing, vaccination, and other prevention and mitigation strategies with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities. Applications are due June 11, 2021 at 11:59 PM PT. Access the Request for Applications here. Register for an optional webinar, to be held on Monday, May 17 at 1 PM ET, here.

Quick Links

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls – These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898#  Next call: June 3.
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#  Next call: June 2.

COVID-19 Vaccination Info and Events

Maricopa County: 

  • The International Rescue Committee and MCDPH will be hosting a vaccine event this May 22from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the International Rescue Committee’s offices in Glendale. They will be administering the Moderna and Janssen vaccines (reminder, these are both 18 years of age and older). Their goal is to ensure a safe, trusted space for our populations to have linguistically appropriate support while receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. This event is open to all our communities and walk-ins will be accepted the day of the event. Please share the attached fliers with your networks and all persons who could benefit from this event. Transportation is available through AHCCCS and Uber credits are available through Valley of the Sun United Way for those who may not have Medicaid.

Valleywise Health Vaccine Events:

• Vaccine #1: 05/28/2021 Valleywise Comprehensive Health Center – Peoria
12:00 PM – 5:30 PM 8088 W Whitney Dr, Peoria, AZ 85345
Vaccine #2: 06/18/2021 Appt Link: Peoria: https://curative.com/sites/28439/
12:00 PM – 5:30 PM
(20 shots/30 min = 220 slots) Pfizer/J&J

• Vaccine #1: 06/04/2021 Valleywise Community Health Center – Chandler
10:00 AM – 5:30 PM 811 S Hamilton St Chandler AZ 85225
Vaccine #2: 06/25/2021 Appt Link: Chandler: https://curative.com/sites/28598/
10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
( 16 shots/30 min = 240 slots) Pfizer/J&J

• Vaccine #1: 06/12/2021 Valleywise Health – PHX (Refugee Pop)
8:30 AM – 5:30 PM 2601 E Roosevelt St (Admin Building) Phoenix AZ 85008
Vaccine #2: 07/03/2021 Appt Link: Valleywise Health Refugee:
Phoenix: https://curative.com/sites/28684/
8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
(20 shots/30 min = 360 slots) Pfizer/J&J

• Vaccine #1: 06/19/2021 City of Avondale Community Health Center
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM 995 E Riley Dr, Avondale, AZ 85323;
Vaccine #2: 07/10/2021 Appt Link: Avondale: https://curative.com/sites/28842/
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
(20 shots/30 min = 320 slots) Pfizer/J&J

• Vaccine #1: 06/20/2021 Laveen Public Schools Desert Meadows School
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM 6855 W Meadows Loop E, Laveen Village, AZ 85339
Vaccine #2: 07/11/2021 Appt Link: Laveen: https://curative.com/sites/28843/
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
(20 shots/30 min = 320 slots) Pfizer/J&J

• Vaccine #1: 06/08/2021 Benedictine University Valleywise Health
10:00 – 4:00 PM 225 E Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201
Vaccine # 2: 06/29/2021 Appt Link: Mesa: https://curative.com/sites/28841/
10:00 – 4:00 PM
(20 shots/30 min = 320 slots) Pfizer ONLY. NO J&J

Pima County:

  • Pima County Health Department’s this week’s mobile vaccination clinics will be at the following locations;
    • No appointment or ID needed.
    • We will have language access.
    • Every adult age 18 and above is eligible
Date   Location   Address   Time   Type  
Wednesday 5/19 Drexel Community Center 5221 S San Joaquin Ave, Tucson, AZ 85746 3pm – 7pm Moderna
Thursday 5/20 Richey Resource center Old Pascua Village 2209 N 15th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 9am- 3am J&J
Thursday 5/20 New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church 1341 S Tyndall Ave, Tucson, AZ 85713 3pm-7pm Moderna
Thursday 5/20 Cornerstone Fellowship 2902 N Geronimo Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 1:30PM – 3PM Moderna
Thursday 5/20 Antigone’s Book Store 410 411 N 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 5pm – 8pm Moderna

J&J
Friday 5/21 Pueblo High School 3500 S 12th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85713 3pm-7pm Moderna
Friday 5/21 Grace Temple 1020 E. 31st St Tucson, AZ 85713 4pm – 7pm Moderna
Saturday 5/22 Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 850 N 11th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 8am -1pm Moderna
Saturday 5/22 St. Joseph Catholic Parish 215 S Craycroft Rd, Tucson, AZ 85711 9am – 1pm Moderna
Saturday 5/22 St. Pius X 1800 N. Camino Pio Decimo 12pm-3pm Pending…
Sunday 5/23 Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church 1946 E Lee St, Tucson, AZ 85719 8am – 2:30pm Moderna
Sunday 5/23 Most Holy Trinity 1300 N Greasewood Rd, Tucson, AZ 85745 11am -2pm Moderna
Sunday 5/23 Saguaro Christian Church 8302 E. Broadway Ave, Tucson, AZ 85710 2pm -6pm Moderna

We also created (publicly accessible Box link) with the flyers if you want to share flyers online. It will be uploading them every Friday. Below is the link;https://rescue.box.com/s/2fwfnswbrmbl48dh2racpw7g39zzcg3m

 

Educational Events for Your Community / Organization:

  • If you would like to request a COVID educational event at your organization fill out this request form. On-site interpretation may be available for the event!: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C89XJT2

 

Maricopa County information: Register for the vaccine at MCDPH sites here: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations

  • To be registered over the phone instead of completing the registration link, call 602-506-6767 and select option 3 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Currently they are able to offer call center support in Arabic, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Burmese, Thai, and Karen.  You may have to leave a voice message and they will get back to you.

Pima County information: Register for the vaccine at PCHD sites here:  https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=690372

Other Resources

Pima County:

IRC’s MC3 program is expanding their eligibility in two ways so that they can serve more clients.

  • They will now accept referrals for anyone in Pima County who has language, literacy, digital literacy, and/or physical access barriers to services needed to abide by isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19.
  • They can now provide services to contacts (in addition to cases), aka those who have not yet tested positive for COVID-19 but are in quarantine.

Their referral process remains the same. Send a secure email to sophie.barshay@rescue.org and Riley.McMahon@rescue.org with the clients’

  • Full name:
  • DOB:
  • phone number:
  • language:
  • Reason for referral:

Please see document for more information about MC3’s services and who is eligible.

Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

  • Attached are resources that MCDPH’s Refugee Outreach team created that address vaccine myths – Can be found on the COVID-19 Page
  • As you may have heard, the CDC has approved children age 12-17 to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine starting Thursday, May 13.  According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, a Parent or Legal Guardian can take their child to any State-run COVID-19 Vaccine site during their hours of operation and the shot will be given.  There is no appointment or student ID required.  Parents and legal guardians will need to sign a consent form in person and attest to the fact that the child is at least 12 years of age.
Vaccine type  Eligibility 
Pfizer  12 years and older 
Moderna  18 years and older 
Johnson and Johnson  18 years and older 
  • IRC has created eligibility flyers in multiple languages, they are attached to this email. We need your help in sharing this information specifically within migrant/immigrant/refugee/vulnerable communities. – Can be found on the COVID-19 Page

Refugee Health in Arizona | June 25, 2021

Special thanks to Gianni Bisio, RRP’s newest Americorps Summer VISTA Associate for putting this resource list together! If you have resources you would like to share with the community via this email, please reach out to Gianni at gbisio@azdes.gov.

Quick Links

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

  • These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.
    Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx  Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107‬ PIN: ‪105 874 898‬#  Next call: July 1.
    Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289‬ PIN: ‪691 214 821‬#  Next call: June 30.

COVID-19 Vaccination Info and Events

Maricopa County:

Maricopa County in partnership with the Muslim Community Mosque:

  • When: June 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m .
  • What: Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Vaccine
  • Where: Muslim Community Mosque, 1818 N 32nd street, Phoenix, 85008
  • Details: The goal is to ensure a safe, trusted space for our populations to have linguistically appropriate support while receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. No registration is required in advance, please advise persons to bring an ID and insurance card if possible.

Transportation is available through AHCCCS.

Additional COVID-19 vaccination events can be found on the MCDPH website at: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations

Flyers in multiple languages for the event are here

A further opportunity to receive vaccines:

  • When: Saturday, June 26, 8:30am – 11:30am
  • What: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson
  • Where: Islamic Center of the North East Valley, 12125 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale
  • No appointments/registration needed: walk-ins welcomed.

Pima County

Pima County Health Department’s mobile vaccination clinics, in partnership with the International Rescue Committee, will be at the following locations:

When: Saturday, June 26, 8am – 1pm

  • What: Moderna
  • Where: Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 50 N. 4th Ave., Tucson

When: Saturday, June 26th, 9am – 1pm

  • What: Moderna, Pfizer
  • Where: Pantano Christian Church, 1755 S. Houghton Rd., Tucson

When: Saturday, June 26th, 10am – 8pm

  • What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson
  • Where: Lauffer Middle School, 5385 E. Littletown Rd, Tucson

When: Saturday, June 26th, 10am – 8pm

  • What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson
  • Where: Mary Belle McCorkle Academy, 4455 S. Mission Rd, Tucson

No appointment or ID needed.

Language access will be available.

Every adult age 18 and above is eligible.

Note: CDC has approved children aged 12-17 to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Flyers in multiple languages for selected events are here.

Further opportunities to receive vaccines from open mobile vaccination clinics include:

When: Tuesday, June 29, 12:30pm – 4:30pm

  • What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson
  • Where: Tucson City Court, 103 E. Alameda St., Tucson

When: Tuesday, June 29, 4:30pm – 8pm

  • What: Pfizer, Moderna
  • Where: Club Rancho Sahuarita, 15455 S. Camino Lago Azul, Tucson

When: Wednesday, June 30, 12:30pm – 4:30pm

  • What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson
  • Where: Tucson City Court, 103 E. Alameda St., Tucson

When: Thursday, July 1, 6pm – 9pm

  • What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson
  • Where: Antigone Books, 411 N. 4th Ave., Tucson

When: Saturday, July 3, 9am – 12:00pm (noon)

  • What: Pfizer, Moderna
  • Where: Mission Church, 2435 E. 17th St., Tucson

When: Sunday, July 4, 8am – 1pm

  • What: Moderna, Johnson & Johnson
  • Where: St. Mark Catholic Church, 2727 W. Tangerine Street, Tucson

No appointments are necessary.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Opportunity

Maricopa County is offering personal protection equipment (PPE) to organizations addressing Covid-19 in vulnerable populations. For interested parties, please access the link below to complete a request form. Link: https://www.maricopa.gov/5585/Request-Resources

COVID-19 Impact Survey

Maricopa County Department of Public Health is seeking to understand how the pandemic has impacted residents and how to support the community in a post-COVID environment. From MCDPH:

” As a valued partner in this effort, we would appreciate your help in this important endeavor.

We have launched the COVID-19 Community Impact Survey, which will help guide future community health improvement planning and funding efforts over the next two years to assist in the recovery of COVID-19. Throughout the county, grants will be awarded to local governments and community-based organizations to support our communities and address priority areas.

By encouraging your residents, your stakeholders, your community members, your program participants, and/or your family to participate in the survey, you can help us gather the diversity of responses needed to ensure we have a wide, inclusive representation of residents within our county.  In return, we are committed to sharing the information learned with you so that we may all benefit and can take collective action.

You can help by:

  • Taking the Maricopa County COVID-19 Community Impact Survey. Click here to take the survey which is available in more than 12 languages. To avoid formatting and display issues, please note that it is recommended to use browsers like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
  • Sharing the survey. Please use this email and messaging to share the survey with your employees and networks. You can download social media graphics and printables using our Communication Toolkit. The survey is open to anyone age 12 years and up in Maricopa County—staff, friends, family, community members, professional networks. The broader the survey is spread, the more representative the data will be. The survey will be open through June 30, 2021.

You can find all of this information and learn more about our community health improvement planning efforts at MaricopaHealthMatters.org.”

Vaccine Assistance Hotline Available for Spanish Speakers

Available since April,  Spanish-speaking members of the community now have a new resource available to help book vaccine appointments as the result of a partnership with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) and Arizona’s 2-1-1 hotline. Known as the Promotores program, people may call 2-1-1 then 2-7-1 to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments for themselves, a relative, friend, co-worker, or neighbor or simply call to get information about COVID-19 with the help of a Spanish-speaking promotor.

For more information: https://www.maricopa.gov/civicalerts.aspx?aid=2220

*Newer resources are listed first. Important resources that we want to make sure you don’t miss but that we may have shared already in previous Refugee Health in AZ emails are listed last.

Quick Links

All refugee health emails are archived and available here: https://www.rispnet.com/archive/

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/jjg-stiy-sdx Call in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898# Next call: July 15.
  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#Next call: July 14.

Disability Rights in Arizona: What You Need to Know

On Monday, July 19, 2021 from 11:30am to 1:00pm, a session hosted by ACDL, DES, IRC, and others will share the rights individuals have when accessing disability services and what to do when they run into cultural, linguistic, or other barriers. Panelists will share stories of the issues they faced accessing services, what they did to resolve them and how it affected their rights.

The event will be in English, but interpreters are available by request: Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, Dari, and Kinyarwanda.

Arizona Center for Disability Law will be sharing information to help families overcome barriers. Following, there will be a panel discussion of what different families have experienced when navigating the disability service system. Some questions answered will be “What should a disability provider do for your family member with a disability?” “What happens if you are not getting what you need? What do you do next?” “How do language rights and access fit in?” Additional information on disability services in education and language rights will also be provided. There will also be time for your questions and comments.

You can participate in this training in different ways:

  • You can individually register using our JotForm to receive a personalized Zoom link to access the meeting. Registrants can expect to receive their Zoom link in a confirmation email a few days prior to the training
  • For those who do not have access to the internet, ethnically-based community organizations may decide to host a watch event. Please contact your organization to see if they will be hosting a watch party.
  • There are also phone-in options for this training. The Zoom confirmation email will provide the phone options. If you need help registering, contact Jeff Javier at jjavier@arizona.eduor 623-512-8798.

This flyer also provides the registration link.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Know Your Rights: Limited English Proficiency

The Arizona Center for Disability Law (ACDL) has provided a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) sheet on the rights for people who have limited English proficiency (LEP).

For people with disabilities: ACDL access to services
The Arizona Center for Disability Law accepts all requests for services and information from 9:00 am to 1:00pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday or anytime on our website: www.azdisabilitylaw.org or center@azdisbilitylaw.org.

The FAQ sheet is linked here

 

DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR COVID-19 VACCINES FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES

The state of Washington has created ‘The Discussion Guide for Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines for Immigrants and Refugees’ as a resource for partners serving immigrant/refugee communities to help build COVID-19 vaccine confidence with community members. The resource is an easy to follow discussion guide followed by common concerns, frequently asked questions and example responses. We hope the proposed talking points will help support vaccine conversations and build confidence within communities and/or clients you may serve.

The discussion guide is linked here

 

ICNA Relief COVID-19 Vaccine Information

ICNA Relief has created flyers (here and here) about the benefits of taking the COVID-19 vaccine in several languages and has also shared a calendar with their food distribution events.

 

COVID-19 Vaccination Info and Events

Pima County Health Department’s this week’s mobile vaccination clinics will be at the following locations:

  • When: Saturday, July 10, 8am – 1pm
    What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)
  • Where: Gallego International Fine Arts Magnet School, 3700 E. Alvord Rd., Tucson

 

  • When: Saturday, July 10, 10am – 2pm
    What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)
  • Where: Drexel Community Center, 5220 S. San Joaquin Ave., Tucson

 

  • When: Sunday, July 11th, 9am – 1pm
    What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)
  • Where: St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Ave., Tucson

 

  • No appointment or ID needed.
    Language access is available.
    Every adult 18 and above is eligible

Note: CDC has approved children ages 12-17 to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.   

Fliers for the events available in English, Farsi, Spanish, Arabic, Kinyarwanda, French, Swahil, Somali, and Nepali.

Maricopa County will continue to have vaccine events at the following:

  • When: Now through July 30, hours vary
  • What: Pfizer
  • Where: Peoria High School, 11200 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria

Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcomed. Make appointments at: https://tinyurl.com/VaccinePHS

Age Eligibility: Following federal and state guidance, Maricopa County has opened vaccine eligibility to all residents aged 12 and up. Per the vaccines’ FDA emergency use authorizations:

  • People Ages 18 and Older can receive the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccines.
  • People Ages 12 to 17 can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.
    • Minors will need a parent/guardian consent to register for a vaccine appointment. Some sites will also require that a parent/guardian is with the minor for the vaccination; contact the vaccine site to find out if a parent/guardian must be present.
  • Pop-Up Vaccination Events:

In order to be vaccinated, you will need to be age 12 or older and provide appropriate identification (parent/guardian present with a minor)  once you arrive at the vaccination site. If you are seeking a second dose of a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, please be sure it is with the same manufacturer as your first dose in the recommended timeframe.

Vaccines are available at no charge, regardless of insurance or citizenship status.  Please see our COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs for information on these topics and more. If you still have questions, please CONTACT US and our Maricopa Cares Call Center team.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Opportunity

  • Maricopa County is offering personal protection equipment (PPE) to organizations addressing Covid-19 in vulnerable populations. For interested parties, please access the link below to complete a request form.
  • Link: https://www.maricopa.gov/5585/Request-Resources

COVID-19 Impact Survey

Maricopa County Department of Public Health is seeking to understand how the pandemic has impacted residents and how to support the community in a post-COVID environment. From MCDPH:

” As a valued partner in this effort, we would appreciate your help in this important endeavor.

We have launched the COVID-19 Community Impact Survey, which will help guide future community health improvement planning and funding efforts over the next two years to assist in the recovery of COVID-19. Throughout the county, grants will be awarded to local governments and community-based organizations to support our communities and address priority areas.

By encouraging your residents, your stakeholders, your community members, your program participants, and/or your family to participate in the survey, you can help us gather the diversity of responses needed to ensure we have a wide, inclusive representation of residents within our county.  In return, we are committed to sharing the information learned with you so that we may all benefit and can take collective action.

You can help by:

  • Taking the Maricopa County COVID-19 Community Impact Survey. Click hereto take the survey which is available in more than 12 languages. To avoid formatting and display issues, please note that it is recommended to use browsers like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
  • Sharing the survey. Please use this email and messaging to share the survey with your employees and networks. You can download social media graphics and printables using our Communication Toolkit. The survey is open to anyone age 12 years and up in Maricopa County—staff, friends, family, community members, professional networks. The broader the survey is spread, the more representative the data will be. The survey will be open through June 30, 2021.

You can find all of this information and learn more about our community health improvement planning efforts at MaricopaHealthMatters.org.”

Vaccine Assistance Hotline Available for Spanish Speakers

Available since April,  Spanish-speaking members of the community now have a new resource available to help book vaccine appointments as the result of a partnership with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) and Arizona’s 2-1-1 hotline. Known as the Promotores program, people may call 2-1-1 then 2-7-1 to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments for themselves, a relative, friend, co-worker, or neighbor or simply call to get information about COVID-19 with the help of a Spanish-speaking promotor.

For more information: https://www.maricopa.gov/civicalerts.aspx?aid=2220

Quick Links

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/jjg-stiy-sdxCall in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898# Next call: July 29.
    Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: meet.google.com/cjz-zgth-tvv Call in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#Next call: July 28.

COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Info and Events

Pima County 

Pima County Health Department’s this week’s mobile vaccination clinics will be at the following locations: 

  • No appointment or ID needed.
  • We will have language access.
  • Every adult aged 18 and above is eligible

Our NEXT FREE COVID-19 vaccination events are: 

Date   Location   Address   Time   Type  
Saturday, July 10 Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts Magnet School  3700 E. Alvord Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85706		 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Pfizer, Moderna
Johnson & Johnson
Saturday, July 10 Drexel Community Center  5220 S. San Joaquin Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85746		 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Pfizer, Moderna
Johnson & Johnson
Sunday, July 11 St. Augustine Cathedral  192 S. Stone Ave. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Pfizer, Moderna
Johnson & Johnson
Saturday, July 17 Reid Park Zoo  3400 E. Zoo Court 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Pfizer, Moderna
Johnson & Johnson
Thursday, July 22 Amado Food Bank  8720 S Nogales Hwy, Amado 9 a.m. – noon Pfizer, Moderna
Johnson & Johnson

CDC has approved children aged 12-17 to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Pima County Health Department and IRC’s next FREE COVID Testing Event will be at Valencia Library on 7/20/21 & 7/27/21.

  • No appointment or ID needed.
  • We will have language access.
  • Walk up – not drive thru.
  • Individuals are tested first come first serve, therefore, arrive early.
  • We test everyone with or without symptoms.

Our NEXT FREE COVID-19 testing events are: 

Date Location Address Time Facebook Event
7/20/21 Valencia Library 202 W Valencia Road Tucson AZ 857406  10am – 2pm Click HERE
7/27/21 

 

 Valencia Library 202 W Valencia Road Tucson AZ 857406  10am – 2pm   Click HERE  

Maricopa County will continue to have vaccine events at the following:

When: Now through July 30, hours varies
What: Pfizer
Where: Peoria High School, 11200 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria
Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcomed. Make appointments at: https://tinyurl.com/VaccinePHS

When: Friday, July 23, 9am – 3pm
What: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson
Where: Murphy Education and Health Center, 3140 W. Buckeye Rd., Phoenix 85009

When: Friday, July 30, 12pm – 5pm
What: Pfizer
Where: St. Vincent De Paul Church/School, 3130 N. 51st Ave., Phoenix 85031

When: Wednesday, August 4; Wednesday, August 11, 11am – 4:30pm
What: Pfizer
Where: St. Vincent De Paul Church/School, 3130 N. 51st Ave., Phoenix 85031

Age Eligibility: Following federal and state guidance, Maricopa County has opened vaccine eligibility to all residents aged 12 and up. Per the vaccines’ FDA emergency use authorizations:

People Ages 18 and Older can receive the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccines.
People Ages 12 to 17 can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Minors will need a parent/guardian consent to register for a vaccine appointment. Some sites will also require that a parent/guardian is with the minor for the vaccination; contact the vaccine site to find out if a parent/guardian must be present.

If you are seeking a second dose of a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, please be sure it is with the same manufacturer as your first dose in the recommended timeframe.

Vaccines are available at no charge, regardless of insurance or citizenship status.

Community Partners for Next Round of Work with IDEO.org

This flyer describes an opportunity for community organizations working with refugee, immigrant and migrant communities on Covid-19 vaccination efforts, to sign up for monthly updates, including:
Latest research findings & lessons learned;
Latest digital/print messaging materials available for download and customization
Partnership and funding opportunities;
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/KKshi2YszFn4pC72A

Pima County Health Department Clinics

Here is an updated clinic flyer which includes locations and hours for all of the Pima Health Department clinical services, including COVID-19 vaccines.

DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR COVID-19 VACCINES FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES 

The Discussion Guide for Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines for Immigrants and Refugees (PDF) is a resource for partners serving immigrant/refugee communities to help build COVID-19 vaccine confidence with community members. The resource is an easy to follow discussion guide followed by common concerns, frequently asked questions and example responses. The Washington Department of Health hope the proposed talking points will help support vaccine conversations and build confidence within communities and/or clients you may serve.

NRC-RIM offers events and new employer toolkit

On July 21, the National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM) will present its vaccine campaign materials at a virtual event hosted by the White House called Building Vaccine Confidence in the Arab American Community.

After the event, participants will receive a digital package of vaccine campaign materials for Get Vaccinated, Get the Facts, and Vaccination Is that have been translated into Arabic. These vaccine campaigns were recently featured in a blog by the Migrant Clinicians Network listing the top 5 Best COVID-19 vaccine resources for migrants and immigrants.

Registration just opened for another webinar, to be held July 28 in partnership with the International Rescue Committee, on strategies for answering clients’ commonly asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine while reinforcing their safety, dignity, and agency. In this update from last month’s webinar, IRC staff will also discuss questions related to vaccines for youth ages 12-17.

This week NRC-RIM unveiled a new toolkit highlighting strategies for keeping workers safe, including COVID-19 testing and vaccine initiatives, and health education campaigns. Both employers and their partners in community organizations can take steps to protect workers with:

NRC-RIM continues to fund printing mini-grants, where select organizations can receive printed vaccine campaign materials at no cost. Learn more and apply today.

For more information, visit their website, sign up for their newsletter, and follow them on Twitter or Facebook.

JOB OPENINGS

Maricopa County Department of Public Health

AmeriCorps VISTA

  • Catholic Charities Phoenix has available a Displaced Populations Health Liaison VISTA position starting in October. As per AmeriCorps, “The Displaced Populations Health Liaison will improve access to healthcare for newly arrived forcibly displaced populations (FDPs) such as refugees, unaccompanied minors, and asylum-seekers, who are resettling in the Phoenix metropolitan region.” For more information, please contact  Joelle Grande (VISTA Administrator –  jgrande@azdes.gov) or Samantha Blake (VISTA Leader – sblake@azdes.gov). Further details are on the AmeriCorps website here: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=99229

CHANGED DATE: Disability Rights in Arizona: What You Need to Know

On Monday, August 2nd, 2021 (changed from July 19th) from 11:30am to 1:00pm, a session hosted by ACDL, DES, IRC, and others will share the rights individuals have when accessing disability services and what to do when they run into cultural, linguistic, or other barriers. Panelists will share stories of the issues they faced accessing services, what they did to resolve them and how it affected their rights.

The event will be in English, but interpreters are available by request: Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, Dari, and Kinyarwanda.

Arizona Center for Disability Law will be sharing information to help families overcome barriers. Following, there will be a panel discussion of what different families have experienced when navigating the disability service system. Some questions answered will be “What should a disability provider do for your family member with a disability?” “What happens if you are not getting what you need? What do you do next?” “How do language rights and access fit in?” Additional information on disability services in education and language rights will also be provided. There will also be time for your questions and comments.

You can participate in this training in different ways:

  1. You can individually register using our JotForm to receive a personalized Zoom link to access the meeting. Registrants can expect to receive their Zoom link in a confirmation email a few days prior to the training
  2. For those who do not have access to the internet, ethnically-based community organizations may decide to host a watch event. Please contact your organization to see if they will be hosting a watch party.
  3. There are also phone-in options for this training. The Zoom confirmation email will provide the phone options. If you need help registering, contact Jeff Javier at jjavier@arizona.edu or 623-512-8798.

This flyer also provides the registration link. We look forward to seeing you there!

Rent Eviction Moratorium Resources for Pima County

Pima County is providing resources for those who may be impacted by the end of the federal eviction moratorium on July 31st, 2021. Pima County is offering rent assistance for up to 12 months.
For more information, please go to: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalid=169&pageid=604639

Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Resources

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota has updated information and resources regarding Covid-19. The following are links to general Covid-19 information https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-19-info and to weekly/bi-weekly webinars and podcasts https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars.

ICNA Relief COVID-19 Vaccine Information

ICNA Relief has created flyers (here and here) about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine in several languages.

Quick Links

All refugee health emails are archived and available here: https://www.rispnet.com/archive/

Biweekly Refugee Provider Healthcare Calls

These calls are still occurring! Please make sure they’re on your calendar if you would like to participate.

  • Pima County Call is every other Wednesday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/cjz-zgth-tvvCall in number: ‪(US) +1 470-242-8289 PIN: ‪691 214 821#Next call: August 11.
  • Maricopa County Call is every other Thursday at 12pm. Link to join: google.com/jjg-stiy-sdxCall in number: ‪(US) +1 860-540-6107 PIN: ‪105 874 898# Next call: August 12.

Funding

Interested in doing business with the State of Arizona? Follow these steps:

Steps for Doing Business with DES

  1. Register your company in the state’s eProcurement system, Arizona Procurement Portal (APP).
  2. Receive email notifications of solicitation opportunities based on the commodity codes selected in the vendor profile.
  3. Submit offers electronically in APP for:
    • Requests for Quotes (RFQs)
    • Invitations for Bids (IFBs)
    • Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
  4. For assistance with APP, please call the Help Desk at (602) 542-7600 or through email at app@azdoa.gov.

Commodity Code for Refugee Program: 99107034 – Refugee Program HP32-00

 

Arizona Refugee Resettlement August Quarterly Meeting – VIRTUAL

The quarterly meeting for August will be hosted virtually in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations regarding large events and gatherings due to COVID-19. Attendees can connect via either video or phone.

Please put yourself on mute as soon as you join the call and use the chat room to ask questions.

Feel free to share this meeting invitation with anyone you believe would be interested, thank you.

Joint Quarterly Meeting (August 10, 2021 | 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM)

COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Info and Events

Pima County 

Pima County Health Department’s this week’s mobile vaccination clinics will be at the following locations:

When: Thursday, August 5, 4:30pm – 7pm

What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson

Where: Empire High School, 10701 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way

 

When: Saturday, August 7,  8am – 2pm

What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson

Where: Alice Vail Middle School, 5350 E. 16th St.

 

When: Saturday, August 7, 10am – 4pm

What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson

Where: Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper St.

 

When: Monday, August 9, 4:30pm – 7pm

What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson

Where: Andrada Polytechnic HS/Pantano HS, 12960 S. Houghton Rd.

 

When: Monday, August 9, 4:30pm – 7pm

What: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson

Where: Cienega High School, 12775 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, Vail

  • No appointment or ID needed.
  • We will have language access.
  • Every adult aged 18 and above is eligible

 

Maricopa County will continue to have vaccine events at the following:

When:  Mondays August 9, August 16, August 23, and August 30: 3pm – 6pm
What: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson
Where: Civic Center Avondale Library, 11350 Civic Center Dr., Avondale 85323

When: Friday, August 6 and Friday, August 27: 10am – 4pm
What: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson
Where: Ramah Full Gospel Church, 5949 W Northern Ave. #201, Glendale 85301

When: Wednesday, August 11; Wednesday, August 18; Wednesday, August 25: 3pm – 6pm
What: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson
Where: Buckeye Family Resource Center, 210 S 6th St., Buckeye 85326

When: Wednesday, August 11: 1:30pm – 5:30pm
What: Pfizer
Where: St. Vincent de Paul, 3130 N. 51st Ave., Phoenix 85301

When: Thursday, August 12: 3pm – 9pm
What: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson
Where: Tolleson Fire Department, 203 N. 92nd Ave., Tolleson 85353

Age Eligibility: Following federal and state guidance, Maricopa County has opened vaccine eligibility to all residents aged 12 and up. Per the vaccines’ FDA emergency use authorizations:

People Ages 18 and Older can receive the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccines.
People Ages 12 to 17 can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Minors will need a parent/guardian consent to register for a vaccine appointment. Some sites will also require that a parent/guardian is with the minor for the vaccination; contact the vaccine site to find out if a parent/guardian must be present.

If you are seeking a second dose of a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, please be sure it is with the same manufacturer as your first dose in the recommended timeframe.

Vaccines are available at no charge, regardless of insurance or citizenship status.

CDC’s ‘Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People’ Updated July 28, 2021

Key Points:

The following recommendations apply to non-healthcare settings. For related information for healthcare settings, visit Updated Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination.

Fully vaccinated people can:

  • Participate in many of the activities that they did before the pandemic; for some of these activities, they may choose to wear a mask.
  • Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel and from self-quarantine after travel.
  • Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States.
  • Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible.

Infections happen in only a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, even with the Delta variant. However, preliminary evidence suggests that fully vaccinated people who do become infected with the Delta variant can spread the virus to others. To reduce their risk of becoming infected with the Delta variant and potentially spreading it to others: CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people:

  • Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible.
  • Wear a mask in public indoor settings if they are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
  • Fully vaccinated people might choose to mask regardless of the level of transmission, particularly if they or someone in their household is immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease, or if someone in their household is unvaccinated. People who are at increased risk for severe disease include older adults and those who have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, overweight or obesity, and heart conditions.
  • Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Get tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days after exposure or until a negative test result.
  • Isolate if they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the prior 10 days or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Follow any applicable federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations.

See the full guidance at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html

COVID-19 Vaccine Info Sessions – RICE and MCDPH

August 6th at 4p at Sudanese American House – 7501 N 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051
August 14th at 4p at Sudanese American House – 7501 N 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051
August 28th at 4p at Sudanese American House – 7501 N 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051

Webinar: A Trauma-informed Understanding of Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) – When: August 16, 2021 – 10am PST

What will this webinar cover?
There is a growing interest in promoting mental health and psychosocial support for refugees, asylees, and other humanitarian immigrants. This webinar will uncover key concepts related to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in the context of refugee resettlement service delivery. It will describe how unique traumas and adversity impact the health and wellbeing of newcomers during forced migration and resettlement, and address special considerations faced by vulnerable populations.

Is this webinar for me?
This webinar is aimed at front-line and management staff of organizations who are interested in exploring best and promising practices related to mental health and psychosocial support programming in the context of refugee services. It will be applicable to staff engaged in designing and implementing practices and interventions with the primary goal to improve the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of refugees. Mental health clinicians are welcome to participate, but please note that this webinar will be most applicable to non-clinical service providers.

Information on new CDC Eviction Order:

Resources for Fostering Vaccine Confidence – Russian and Ukrainian Speaking Communities

Sharing resources developed in partnership with local communities from the Former Soviet Union in Washington State around fostering COVID-19 vaccine confidence. Toolkit (provider videos, fact sheets, newsletter content, social media resources in Russian and Ukrainian) https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/VaccineInformation/Engagement#SlavicFormerSovietUnion 

Training for Providers

WithinReach and the Washington State Department of Health, in partnership with the Former Soviet Union Vaccine Hesitancy Community Workgroup, are excited to announce a new continuing education course, Fostering COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence in Russian- and Ukrainian-Speaking Communities: A Training for Providers. This free e-course will give healthcare providers the tools to better understand vaccine hesitancy within the Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking population, in addition to fostering vaccine confidence, identifying language and cultural barriers that may impede vaccine hesitancy, and adopting strategies to initiate conversations about the COVID-19 vaccine with Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking patients.

For more information about this e-course, please visit our Immunity Community website. Additionally, please see attached or click here to view a flyer for the course.

Community Partners for Next Round of Work with IDEO.org

This flyer describes an opportunity for community organizations working with refugee, immigrant and migrant communities on Covid-19 vaccination efforts, to sign up for monthly updates, including:

Latest research findings & lessons learned;
Latest digital/print messaging materials available for download and customization
Partnership and funding opportunities;
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/KKshi2YszFn4pC72A

Pima County Health Department Clinics

Here is an updated clinic flyer which includes locations and hours for all of the Pima Health Department clinical services, including COVID-19 vaccines.

 Clinical Service Hours – Pima County

Discussion Guide for COVID-19 Vaccines for Immigrants and Refugees 

The Discussion Guide for Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines for Immigrants and Refugees (PDF) is a resource for partners serving immigrant/refugee communities to help build COVID-19 vaccine confidence with community members. The resource is an easy to follow discussion guide followed by common concerns, frequently asked questions and example responses. The Washington Department of Health hopes the proposed talking points will help support vaccine conversations and build confidence within communities and/or clients you may serve.

JOB OPENINGS

Maricopa County Department of Public Health

AmeriCorps VISTA

  • Catholic Charities Phoenix has available a Displaced Populations Health Liaison VISTAposition starting in October. As per AmeriCorps, “The Displaced Populations Health Liaison will improve access to healthcare for newly arrived forcibly displaced populations (FDPs) such as refugees, unaccompanied minors, and asylum-seekers, who are resettling in the Phoenix metropolitan region.”For more information, please contact  Joelle Grande (VISTA Administrator –  jgrande@azdes.gov) or Samantha Blake (VISTA Leader sblake@azdes.gov). Further details are on the AmeriCorps website here

Rent Eviction Moratorium Resources for Pima County

Pima County is providing resources for those who may be impacted by the end of the federal eviction moratorium on July 31st, 2021. Pima County is offering rent assistance for up to 12 months. For more information, please go to: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalid=169&pageid=604639

Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Resources

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota has updated information and resources regarding Covid-19. The following are links to general Covid-19 information https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-19-info and to weekly/bi-weekly webinars and podcasts https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars.

 

ICNA Relief COVID-19 Vaccine Information

ICNA Relief has created flyers (here and here) about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine in several languages.

CHANGE LANGUAGE

CONTACT

Click here to contact us. Send questions or request to upload resources