About: Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health

The Minnesota Department of Health Refugee Health Program and its principal partners received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2015 to establish the Minnesota Center of Excellence in Refugee Health, a network for training and epidemiology in refugee health. Following continued funding awarded in September 2020, the Minnesota Center of Excellence has expanded its work and transitioned to the Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health (MN COE).  

The MN COE builds on existing infrastructure and its partners’ extensive experience to identify and monitor newcomer health issues and needs, contribute to evidence-based policies and guidance, and ultimately improve continuity of care and health outcomes for newcomers. Working with clinicians, state refugee health coordinators, and other partners, the MN COE promotes communication among newcomer health professionals and disseminates best practices. The MN COE completes activities organized into four pillars: surveillance and epidemiology, guidance, clinician training, and newcomer health orientation and education. 

Partners

• Minnesota Department of Health
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Colorado
• HealthPartners Research Institute, Minnesota
• Nationalities Service Center (NSC) (2015-2021), Pennsylvania
• Thomas Jefferson University, Pennsylvania
• University of California San Diego
• University of Minnesota
• Various consultants

Collaboration with Colorado Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health

The MN COE is one of two centers established with the CDC's support. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment manages the Colorado Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health (CO COE). The CO COE leads data, epidemiology, and public health navigation initiatives through partnerships with states and sites across the country. Their primary goal is to maintain a data repository to identify and respond to the changing landscape of newcomer health, with a focus on domestic medical exams and long-term health follow-up data. Additionally, they support public health teams in ensuring that all populations are included in public health responses, regardless of culture or language. They develop best practices, toolkit resources, and capacity-building trainings for navigators and public health teams.

Contributors

Many contributors have been integral to the work of the MN COE. These contributors include resettlement agencies, clinicians working with refugee, immigrant, and migrant populations, state refugee health programs, federal programs, national training centers, universities, and others. We acknowledge and appreciate their time and expertise. They are recognized on our webpages featuring the projects to which they contributed.

Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates

Subscribe to Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates
Receive email updates from the Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Heath, including CareRef, screening guidance, webinars, Immigrant Health Matters quarterly articles, and other resources.

Newsletter archive:

• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: July 2024
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: May 2024
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: April 2024
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: January 2024
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: November 2023
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: September 2023
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: June 2023
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: May 2023
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: December 2022
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: September 2022
• Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Updates: August 2022

Contact MN COE

For more information or questions, please contact the Minnesota Department of Health Refugee Health Program at refugeehealth@state.mn.us or 651-201-5414.

The Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health is supported by NU50CK000563 (MN) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.