Kansas Office for Refugees (KSOR) was established in July 2016 as part of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) a network of resettlement offices to administer the Kansas Refugee Program, including statewide coordination, outreach and refugee focused funding opportunities.
Refugees are resettled in areas with designated resettlement agencies, such as KSOR and Catholic Charities, who assist them with time limited cash assistance, enrollment in temporary health coverage, employment options and more. When refugees are not able to secure healthcare, they turn to their resettlement agencies for help.
“Catholic Charities has seen a large increase in secondary migrants due to the continued turmoil in Afghanistan, Ukraine and other countries,” said Marci Smith, Director of Family Services. “This has stressed the capacity of our current medical providers.” Refugees undergo pre departure health screening prior to arrival in the U.S., and are typically seen by a physician for an evaluation shortly after arrival. Still, refugees arrive with unmet health needs and they face many barriers when seeking Newcomerscare in southwest Kansas are no exception. They face challenges with understanding the U.S. healthcare system, difficulty scheduling timely outpatient acute care visits, significant language barriers in all acute care settings, and confusion over the intricacies of health insurance. These challenges negatively affect their ability to obtain care.
Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas was established in 1965 as a non profit tax exempt organization providing multiple human and social services for all people, regardless of faith, in the 28 counties of southwest Kansas. Current services include adoption, behavioral health, disaster relief, emergency assistance, housing, legal immigration and refugee resettlement, and pregnancy support.
www.CatholicCharitiesSWKS.org Offices: 906 Central Ave Dodge City KS 67801 620 227 1562 620 227 1572 (fax) 2201 16th St Great Bend KS 67530 620 792 1393 620 792 1399 (fax) 1 800 794 9756 705 GardenBallingerCityKS 67846 620 272 0010 620 272 0025 (fax) 1510 N. Calhoun Ave Liberal KS 67901 620 277 9588 Honoring human potential through service, advocacy and invitation, in the spirit of the Gospel, so that every person experiences hope and fulfillment. August 19, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kansas Office for Refugees and Catholic Charities Host Information Session for Providers about Refugee Healthcare Dodge City, KS, August 19, 202 Healthcare providers are desperately needed to serve the influx of refugees in southwest Kansas. Kansas Office of Refugees (KSOR) and Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas are hosting a virtual event for healthcare providers on September 14th at 11:00 am to address questions and concerns about working with refugees including insurance, benefits, challenges and more. Interested participants are asked to email aditya.anand@rescue.org for a Zoom
OverInvitation.thepast year, the number of refugees arriving in southwest Kansas has increased dramatically.
In an effort to intervene, KSOR and Catholic Charities invite local providers to this virtual information session to learn about ways to reduce potential barriers and to make healthcare more accessible for our refugee population. For more information, contact Marci Smith at 620 277 9588 or MSmith@CatholicCharitiesSWKS.org
