Blue Cross Promotes Good Health Among Immigrant Populations (4/10/06)

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April 10, 2006

Blue Cross Promotes Good Health Among Immigrant Populations

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation awarded grants under its Healthy Together: Creating Community with New Americans program, which helps people with cultural differences navigate the health care system. The program recognizes that Minnesota is home to a growing number of immigrants from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

"The funded projects serve new Minnesotans from all over the world," said Daniel Johnson, the foundation's executive director. "To help Minnesotans truly be the healthiest state in the nation, we need to understand and address the health needs of our changing communities."

The foundation directed $150,000 over three years to the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation in St. Paul to promote healthy social adjustment and integration of Hmong refugee adults who have recently resettled in Minnesota from Wat Tham Krabok camp in Thailand. Open Cities Health Center in St. Paul received $90,000 over two years to support a Hmong mental health case manager, connect patients to resources and help providers increase the cultural appropriateness and effectiveness of various treatments.

Center for Victims of Torture received $80,000 over two years to develop a collaborative effort to heal torture survivors living in northwest Hennepin County through New Neighbors/Hidden Scars.

Other notable grants:

Western Mental Health Center, $50,000 over two years to hire a community health worker to provide mental health outreach, support and education to immigrants in the greater Marshall area
Bosnian Women's Network, $10,000 to develop the board and staff to serve Bosnians living in the Twin Cities metro area
Eastern European Medical Society, $10,000 for board and staff training to serve new Americans who emigrated from post-communist Eastern European countries
City of Blackduck, $10,000 to help build relationships between the emerging Latino population and the greater community
Somali-American Self Development Organization of Southeast Minnesota, $10,000 to build relationships with the broader community in Owatonna and identify solutions to critical issues facing the changing community
Understanding the Need for Interfaith Intercultural Togetherness and Education (UNIITE), $10,000 to plan curriculum for health care providers on the cultural, religious and health care concerns and practices of five different faiths

The foundation awarded $610,300 in grants during this round of grantmaking. To see a complete list, visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation website.

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