BMC Immigrant and Refugee Health Center

Boston Medical Center is a proud sponsor of this Sunday’s Haitian 🇭🇹 Unity Parade at 1 p.m., where you can celebrate with music and food. Join us on 5/21 at Harambee Park after the parade to meet with our many teams, including:

🌟 Maternal Child Health
🌟 WellSense Health Plan
🌟 Behavioral Health
🌟 And more

Can't wait to see you there!

BMC is a proud sponsor of this Sunday’s Haitian 🇭🇹 Unity Parade at 1 p.m., where you can celebrate with music and food. Join us on 5/21 at Harambee Park after the parade to meet with our many teams, including:

🌟 Maternal Child Health
🌟 WellSense Health Plan
🌟 Behavioral Health
🌟 And more

Can't wait to see you there!

In honor of , we'd like to highlight the Refugee Women's Health Clinic at Boston Medical Center. 👩‍⚕️👩🏿‍⚕️👩🏽‍⚕️

The Refugee Women's Health Clinic is a program of and provides comprehensive and culturally-sensitive women's health services to , asylum-seeking & communities in the Boston area. Our services include:

💛 Pregnancy & postpartum care
💛 Annual check-ups
💛 Gynecologic care
💛 Contraception counseling
💛 Surgical consultation
💛 Medical affidavit writing for patients seeking asylum
💛 Consultation regarding female ge***al cutting

No one is turned away because of a lack of funds. We welcome people who may need support with health insurance and addressing transportation, food, & housing needs.

If you are interested in learning more or requesting an appointment, please visit www.bmc.org/services/refugee-womens-health-clinic-obstetrics-gynecology.

A very happy to all the moms, stepmoms, grandmothers & those who’ve taken on the role for others in our community. 💙💙💙

May is Mental Health Month. 💛 Mental health is an incredibly important part of overall health. With a growing number of people experiencing mental illness, it is more important than ever before to raise awareness, provide support, and advocate for improving access to care.

The Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights (BCRHHR) is a key program of the IRHC. Through an innovative model of outpatient care, BCRHHR provides comprehensive services – including counseling & medication management – designed to meet the special needs of refugees and survivors of torture, asylum seekers & immigrants. 👩🏾‍⚕️ Learn more: www.bmc.org/boston-center-refugee-health-and-human-rights

If you're looking for support or want to request an appointment, please call the IRHC front desk at 617-414-1994.

We’re to celebrate our nurses for delivering exceptional and equitable care every day! 💕

In honor of , we’re sharing notes from patients and their loved ones to show how much our nurses are appreciated and valued. Read the letters submitted to The Boston Globe's 2023 Salute to Nurses ➡️ https://bit.ly/3VL66WE

What a night! ✨ We recently held a Client Gala to celebrate our community and the 25th anniversary of the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights (BCRHHR) at Boston Medical Center, a key program of the IRHC. Catch a glimpse ⬇️ and learn about BCRHHR: www.bmc.org/services/boston-center-refugee-health-and-human-rights-mental-health.

had the best time exploring Nigerian cuisine during our last cooking demo on Wednesday! Thank you, Chef Esther, for showing us how to make egusi soup, a traditional Nigerian dish. 👩🏾‍🍳

Learn more about upcoming classes with Boston Medical Center's Teaching Kitchen ➡ bmc.org/nourishing-our-community/teaching-kitchen

We're to receive an "A” safety grade rating for Spring 2023 from the The Leapfrog Group. 🎉 This hospital safety evaluation uses more than 30 key performance measures, including:

🌟 Identification and mitigation of risks and hazards
🌟 Culture measurement
🌟 Nursing workforce

This achievement reflects our shared commitment to providing the highest quality of care to our patients. Thank you to our dedicated staff for all you do to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients. ❤️

Learn more about this accomplishment ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Nzo7F3

Don't forget! We're teaming up with Boston Medical Center's Teaching Kitchen for a cooking demo tonight at 5:30pm ET. Join us as we explore Nigerian cuisine with Chef Esther.

Come to the Teaching Kitchen at 850 Harrison Ave, second floor (next to the cafeteria in the Yawkey Building) or participate on Zoom: https://bit.ly/41xhdnN 🔗

NEXT WEEK on May 3: & Boston Medical Center's Teaching Kitchen are teaming up for our third cooking demo! Join us as we explore Nigerian cuisine with guest chef Esther. More details in the flyer below ⬇️

RSVP: www.bmc.org/nourishing-our-community/teaching-kitchen/calendar

Looking for new recipe inspiration? 👩‍🍳 Join and 's Teaching Kitchen for a cooking demo on Wednesday, May 3, as Chef Esther shows us how to make egusi soup, a traditional Nigerian dish.

Esther is originally from Nigeria and grew up learning how to cook. Cooking became not only a necessity but also a passion for Esther! She loves to cook for others and bring people together with her delicious meals.
⁣
Stop by Yawkey Cafeteria at Boston Medical Center from 5:30-6:30pm or register for the Zoom: bit.ly/41DAYtH. 🍳 🥗 ⁣

A team of medical students made the Final Four of Innovate@BU’s Boston University Refugee Challenge, with a proposal focused on relieving social isolation & meeting the nutritional needs of 200 postpartum or pregnant Haitian migrants. IRHC had a great time collaborating with the Community Connection team on their proposal! Check it out ⬇️

Med Students Have Impressive Showing in BU Refugee Challenge | Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Med Students Have Impressive Showing in BU Refugee Challenge They didn’t win the ultimate $10,000 prize, but a team of medical students came close, making the Final Four of Innovate@BU’s BU Refugee Challenge, with a proposal focused on relieving social isolation and meeting the nutritional needs...

NEXT WEEK on May 3: & Boston Medical Center's Teaching Kitchen are teaming up for our third cooking demo! Join us as we explore Nigerian cuisine with guest chef Esther. More details in the flyer below ⬇️

RSVP: www.bmc.org/nourishing-our-community/teaching-kitchen/calendar

Check it out: The White House at ! Last week, the White House Task Force on New Americans visited us at Boston Medical Center to learn about IRHC's approach to immigrant health care. A great opportunity to share more about our programs, challenges & recommendations!

Happy from our team at ! 🌎 With each passing year, becomes a greater threat to the health of the public. While everyone is at risk of the negative effects of a changing climate, its impacts are often felt more intensely by vulnerable populations like & displaced communities.

Today (and every day), IRHC at is committed to achieving a more future for human & environmental health, and enhancing resources available to the displaced. 💚

To all who are celebrating, wishes you a very joyful . May this special day bring you and your loved ones happiness & blessings.

"Birth Sisters was designed to recruit women who were representative of the communities that served,” Boston Medical Center's Catherine Walker, CNM, MPH. See how hospital-supported doula programs boost birth equity & support community wellness on ⬇️.

Did you know? are available for select and BMC patients. 👉 For more information on the Birth Sisters Program, visit www.bmc.org/obstetrics/birth-sisters.

The Case for Hospital-Supported Doula Programs | HealthCity |BMC It's clear that doulas provide an opportunity to boost birth equity, but to truly do that, the doulas themselves must be championed by healthcare systems.

Good luck today, runners! We're cheering you on. 💙
Boston Marathon

Friday 🤔 Our latest assesses the global prevalence of head trauma in and asylum-seekers and describes its clinical characteristics in this population. Check it out: bit.ly/3GLkhV8.

📝 by 's colleague at Massachusetts General Hospital Altaf Saadi, Jasmin Williams, Ameerah Parvez, Margarita Alegria & Ana-Maria M Vranceanu

Today on , we're talking about stress management & when to seek help.

Stress can affect a person physically and mentally. It is important to understand and manage to live a healthy & successful life. Here are some tips for managing stress:

✅ Care for yourself by eating well, exercising & resting when needed.
✅ Talk to someone who is supportive and helpful.
✅ Find a place where you feel comfortable, like a church or support group.
✅ Keep in mind that trouble sleeping, nightmares, flashbacks, and feelings of being very alert are common for most people after being exposed to traumatic events. Give yourself time to recover.
✅ Remember that each person’s experience is unique and personal.
✅ Know that anniversary dates or a specific holiday may bring feelings related to the . It is helpful during these times to surround yourself with people, places, or things that comfort you.

It's always ok to ask for help. If you are feeling very stressed you should talk to your doctor. If you are currently seeking a new doctor, call the front desk at 617-414-1994.

[Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Sexual Violence]

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. is devoted to supporting survivors & raising awareness about sexual assault, harassment & abuse. Here are a few important things to note about sexual assault:

▪️ Sexual assault can be verbal, physical, visual, or anything that forces a person to be subjected to or engage in unwanted sexual contact.
▪️ Sexual violence occurs when someone is forced or manipulated into unwanted sexual activity without their consent. Consent means permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.

If you have experienced or if you are a friend, family member, or provider of a survivor, here are some resources at and in the Boston area:

▪️ Boston Medical Center's Domestic Violence Program: www.bmc.org/programs/domestic-violence-program or 617-414-5457. Services are available in several languages.

▪️ Boston Area R**e Crisis Center: BARCC: barcc.org. You can reach their hotline by phone 24/7 at 800-841-8371 or web chat 9:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. every day. Their hotline is free & confidential, and their web chat hotline works on mobile browsers. supports people in all stages of their experience, whether immediately after an assault or years & decades into the healing process.

▪️ The EVA Center: www.evacenter.org

▪️ NSVRC (National Sexual Violence Resource Center): www.nsvrc.org

We are here for you. 🤍

Happy Easter, Boston!

Happy ! Today and every day, is dedicated to providing comprehensive care so that status no longer affects health. 💛 Our patients can access the following services:
⚕️ Primary Care
👩‍⚕️ Obstetrics & Gynecology
💚 Mental Health
👩‍💻 Social Services: Case Management, Career Development, Immigration Legal Program & More

Call 617-414-1994 or visit our website bmc.org/immigrant-refugee-health-center to request an appointment.

Boston Medical Center

Did you know? Every year, people who are covered by need to renew their health insurance to keep their no-cost coverage. It's important to have health insurance at all times so that your medical appointments, prescriptions, and lab tests are covered. 🩺🔬

Update your contact and other personal information to make sure you stay covered. And remember, MassHealth does not share personal information, including your immigration status, with immigration enforcement authorities. ❗

Learn more ⬇️

MassHealth Eligibility Redeterminations MassHealth Eligibility Redeterminations

We hope the resources & information we shared this past month were helpful! If you have any questions about the services shared or additional services for , , and asylum-seekers, contact us at [email protected] or 617-414-1994. You can also learn more on our website: www.bmc.org/immigrant-refugee-health-center. 🙋‍♀️

: Even if you're not pregnant and feeling healthy, it is still important to see a provider for an annual check-up! The purpose of these visits is to:

✔️ Screen for issues
✔️ Assess your risk for future medical problems
✔️ Encourage a lifestyle
✔️ Update
✔️ Help you get to know your provider in case of an illness

During a regular well-woman check-up your provider might offer:

💛 Breast and cervix cancer screening tests
💛 HPV vaccines
💛 STI testing
💛 Family planning options

If you are interested in learning more or requesting an appointment at 's Refugee Women's Health Clinic, please visit: www.bmc.org/refugee-womens-health-clinic.