Enhancing Refugee & Immigrant Children’s Health (EnRICH)
About the EnRICH Program
The EnRICH (Enhancing Refugee and Immigrant Children’s Health) program is dedicated to serving refugee and immigrant families as they learn to take care of their children’s health in the context of a new healthcare system.
Challenges to Accessing Healthcare
With the increase of newly arrived refugees to the St. Louis area, there are multiple barriers that families face when it comes to accessing healthcare. Because housing, food, and employment are top priorities, medical care can often get overlooked as these other more pressing needs compete for attention during resettlement. The added stressor of navigating our complex healthcare system, while also being immersed in a new culture and learning a new language, can be intimidating and confusing. However, developing the skills to manage their children’s health is an important new process families will need to learn. The consequences of not learning these skills can lead to significant delays in care or serious but preventable medical complications.
Services & Education
One of our goals is to assist families during this time of transition so that their children’s medical needs are more easily managed. Our team seeks to provide extra support for newly arrived families while offering education to help them master the necessary skills to navigate the healthcare system independently. Education topics we cover include how to call an interpreter to schedule appointments, basic information about pharmacies and laboratories, and basic health literacy. While they are learning these skills, we offer care coordination and case management services to come alongside our families with additional support. Our desire is to empower our families to have confidence in their ability to know how to take care of the health of their children in their new home.
Contact the EnRICH Team
For more information about the EnRICH program, to make an appointment, or refer a patient, please call 314-678-3068.