Outreach
to Hmong Refugees
by
Jim Czechowicz
During the past few
months, Social Security Administration St Paul PASS Specialist
Nou Vang, has spoken at different Twin Cities' venues about SSA
programs and enumeration, including work incentives and PASS, to
groups and representatives connected with the Hmong WAT THAM KRABOK
refugee resettlement project now underway.
Vang has attended four meetings regarding the arrival in Minnesota
of the Hmong refugees, of WAT THAM KRABOK camp, Thailand. The first
meeting was held on May 19, 2004 at Concordia University in St. Paul.
The discussion was based upon the information collected from the
pre-screening and screening of the thousands of Hmong refugees scheduled
to resettle in the United States during this summer 2004.
The second meeting was held on May 22, 2004 at North Community High
School in Minneapolis. At this meeting, the Hmong community or (Anchor
families) learned about different types of services that would be
available to assist them and their families when they sponsored their
relatives. All the Hmong refugees will enter the U S through refugee
resettlement procedures already established by the U S Department
of State.
The third meeting that was held on May 26, 2004 at the Centennial
Office Building. This was in an informal get-together with the Minneapolis
Star Tribune newsroom staff and much of the Hmong community. SSA
programs, Ticket to Work, and PASS was presented to 45 people. This
meeting focused on learning about the issues and people within the
Hmong community so that all the Star Tribune newsroom staff could
learn more about a community they would like to do a better job of
covering in the news..
The fourth meeting was held on June 1, 2004 at the Hmong American
Partnership in St. Paul. Again SSA programs, Ticket-to-Work, and
PASS was presented to 18 people. Hmong American Partnership (HAP)
and Minnesota Council of Churches (MCC) will focus on providing initial
resettlement services in the first three months after arrival. This
includes working with Anchor relatives in the U S to ensure that
refugee family members have food, shelter, clothing, medical screening
within the first 30 days, assist the refugees applying for social
security cards within 7 days. To ensure that children enroll in school
and the families are referred to employment services, SSI, and have
access to public assistance as necessary.
Vang reports that due to malnutrition, drug abuse, health problems,
and for some of them due to their criminal background, many of the
refugees in the camp have high level of disabilities. People who
were screened and determined to be drug users were required to attend
a six-month treatment program before they could be eligible for another
screening. A group of approximately 200 people tested positive for
tuberculosis (TB). These people were mandated to complete a medical
regiment before they could receive any other screening. Finally those
found to have criminal backgrounds will automatically be denied resettlement
to the United States.
According to John Borden, Associate Director of the International
Institute of Minnesota, few Hmong refugees have records of their
birth or any other documents. The International Institute of Minnesota
has been working closely with the Customs and Immigration Services
(CIS) and the Department of Homeland Security to produce proper documentation
at the port of entry so that these newcomers can be issued Employment
Authorization cards (EAB) or I-94 cards.
Ms. Maykao Hang, Director of the Ramsey County Adult Services Division
said that, upon arrival of these refugees at the county, the county
would do health screening and refer disabled individuals to the Social
Security Administration to apply for SSI.
