Connecticut State Department of Public Health

The Federal Government has reopened COVIDtests.gov. Every household can order four over-the-counter COVID-19 tests for free. These tests are intended for use throughout the 2024 holiday season to detect currently circulating COVID-19 variants. Please visit COVIDtests.gov for your free test.

Refugee and Immigrant Health Program

 
The Connecticut Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Refugee and Immigrant Health Program (RIHP) is the public health component of Connecticut’s Refugee Assistance Program. The RIHP works with refugee resettlement agencies and other sponsors, local health departments, and health care providers to offer appropriate health assessments, follow-up or referral, and community-based health education to newly-arriving entrants to Connecticut.
 
The RIHP assists refugees and asylees, persons with special immigrant visas, lawful permanent residents, and certain other entrants to Connecticut. The RIHP does not receive health information about tourists, students, or persons with work visas.
 
Program Goals
  1. To help ensure that refugees receive an initial domestic health assessment soon after arrival in Connecticut, receive diagnosis and treatment for conditions of potential public health significance, and have referrals and treatment for chronic diseases and disorders;
  2. To notify appropriate health officials if entrants are diagnosed with conditions of  public health significance;
  3. To compile, analyze, and report selected health data about entrants to Connecticut; and
  4. To provide technical assistance about refugee health matters.
Program Activities: Refugee Health Assessments
 
Before coming to the United States, refugees undergo an overseas medical screening to determine eligibility for U.S. entry. Soon after U.S. Entry, refugees are advised to undergo an initial domestic refugee health assessment (RHA). In Connecticut, refugee resettlement agencies and other sponsors work with health care providers and local health departments to schedule these RHAs.
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provide guidance and resources for use in conducting RHAs. The RIHP helps ensure that RHAs are conducted in a timely fashion, and assists sponsors and health care providers by developing forms and supporting documents for use when they conduct RHAs in Connecticut.

 

CDC resources

ORR resources

RHG Guidelines and Forms:

Initial Refugee Health Assessment form 
Initial Refugee Health Assessment form: Guidelines for Completion 
Initial Refugee Health Assessment: Pocket Guide  

Program Activities: Tuberculosis Control
 
The RIHP conducts certain tuberculosis (TB) control activities as part of the broader mission of the TB Control Program at DPH. Entrants who arrive with an overseas TB classification should undergo a U.S.-based TB evaluation soon after U.S. entry. The RIHP collaborates with sponsors, health care providers, and local health departments to ensure that evaluations, diagnoses, and treatment for TB or latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) are obtained.
 
TB Control Guidelines and Forms:
 
 
RESOURCES (selected)
 
Government Refugee and Refugee Health websites
 
Refugee Health; Health Resources in Multiple Languages
 
 
Civil Surgeon Resources
 
Language and Interpretation
 
 
 
Contact Us:
 
Refugee and Immigrant Health Program
Connecticut Department of Public Health
410 Capitol Avenue, MS# 11-TUB
Hartford, CT 06134
Phone: 860-509-7722
Fax: 860-730-8271

 

 

This page last updated 7/30/2021.