CUNY SPH Center for Immigrant, Refugee and Global Health awarded $175,000 by Mother Cabrini Health Foundation

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Mar 02, 2023, 14:47 ET

New Migrant Health Resource Hub will enhance equitable delivery of public health knowledge and services for migrant-serving organizations in New York City and State

NEW YORK, March 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Immigrant, Refugee and Global Health (CIRGH) at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) has been awarded $175,000 by the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to further develop the Migrant Health Resource Hub to improve the health and well-being of migrant populations in New York City and State.

Health worker speaks with young girl and mother.

The hub will play a pivotal role in connecting migrant-serving organizations and policymakers, so that together they enhance equitable care among the state's health systems, schools, labor force and community. The need is clear: according to the U.S. Census, foreign-born individuals including immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers and other stateless people make up nearly a quarter of New York City's population, exceed 21% in Utica, and surpass 10% in other major upstate cities.

"We are working closely with organizations across the state to ensure that the Migrant Health Resource Hub responds to their needs," said Kathleen Cravero, Distinguished Lecturer and a director at CIRGH. "Migrant-serving organizations are under continuing pressure to do more with less, as increasing numbers of migrants arrive in New York State. We hope the hub will provide concrete support to their efforts."

Housed at CUNY SPH, whose mission is to advance a healthier community for all, CIRGH brings to its new hub deep expertise across health policy, economics, history, law and system sciences, as well as relationships with up to 100 migrant-serving organizations in New York City and State.

"New York's migrant-serving organizations have been valiant resources and advocates for the vulnerable people they serve," says CUNY SPH Dean Ayman El-Mohandes. "We are proud to bolster their efforts and impact by harnessing the power of policymakers, research and our collective knowledge to create greater public health opportunities for migrant communities across our city and state."

A recent survey conducted by CIRGH showed that only 42% of migrant-serving organizations offered health services, revealing an acute need to expand health service delivery to migrant groups, particularly during crises. During the COVID-19 lockdown, CIRGH found these organizations were struggling to sustain services, staff and funding, despite a substantial spike in community needs. What was needed to support operations was a central source of professional advocacy and communications around migrant health policy, a deeper pool of resources and the opportunity to exchange best practices.

The hub will accomplish these goals by convening networks of migrant-serving organizations and policymakers in virtual and in-person meetings to exchange strategies for building capacity to reach more at-risk people and eliminate waste by sharing resources. Additional outcomes include:

New York State's first comprehensive, open-access surveillance data source on migrant health. Results will be posted on a migrant health data dashboard to inform policy and programming.
An interactive statewide provider map and directory of 600+ migrant-serving organizations in New York City and State to facilitate networking and referrals, filterable by language, cost and service type.
A central resource for migrant health policy, training and certificate programs, internship matching and migrant-focused grant postings.

"In addition to offering thought leadership, the hub will take solid, practical steps to galvanize the power of our state's network of advocates to make significant improvements in people's health and lives," says Adam Doyno, Executive Director of the CUNY SPH Foundation, which secured this grant. "We are grateful to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for funding our initiative."

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About CUNY SPH

The CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) is committed to teaching, research, and service that creates a healthier New York City and helps promote equitable, efficient, and evidence-based solutions to pressing health problems facing cities around the world. Located in Harlem, CUNY SPH is the top-ranked public school of public health in New York City, New York State, and the tristate region. https://sph.cuny.edu/

About the CUNY SPH Foundation

The CUNY SPH Foundation's mission is to advance the achievement of CUNY SPH's mission, vision, and values as New York City's public school of public health through fundraising, building strategic partnerships, and providing services as a champion for the school's students as they embark on public health careers and its faculty as they work to educate the next generation of public health professionals. https://sph.cuny.edu/about/people/foundation/

SOURCE CUNY SPH