Refugee, Immigrant, and Newcomer Health Services

We only accept referrals from resettlement agencies and CRSP to provide these exams for ORR-eligible individuals.

Accepting referrals from resettlement agencies and Colorado Refugee Services Program only to provide comprehensive health screenings for Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-eligible individuals.

• Domestic Medical Examinations (DMEs)
  In partnership with Colorado Refugee Services Program, we provide one-time, patient-centered, comprehensive medical and mental health evaluations, also called “domestic medical examinations,” within 30-90 days of arrival. We also offer connection to ongoing health care as part of the Office of Refugee Resettlement process. Denver Health has completed over 4,000 DMEs since 2014.
• Pre-Screening (Triage and Class B)
  Some patients will be referred for a “Pre-Screen” appointment before their DME visits. Pre-screening appointments address pre-existing or acute conditions that could adversely impact effective resettlement and quality of life of individuals and/or families.
• Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) Screening
  The URM program provides culturally and linguistically appropriate foster care and independent living placements for refugee-eligible unaccompanied minors in the United States. URM’s referred for DME receive a health screening within 10 days of arrival.
• Connection to Care
• Ongoing Primary and Specialty Care - After patients have completed their DME screening visits, they are given the opportunity to connect to a medical home for ongoing care.
• Wrap-around Services - Screening visits are done within the Lowry Family Health Center which has many wrap-around services.
• Volunteer - We currently do not have any volunteer opportunities.

• Forensic Medical and Mental Health Evaluations (FMEs)
• Volunteer clinicians provide FMEs for asylum seekers. Findings from these evaluations provide objective documentation of physical and psychological injuries and trauma, which can be used to corroborate the asylum seeker’s narrative of persecution in their immigration case.
• How to Request - To learn more and to request a FME or a Humanitarian Letter, please complete a Forensic Evaluation and Humanitarian Letter Request Form. Note: We only accept FME and Humanitarian Letter requests from attorneys/legal partners 
• Humanitarian Letters - Volunteer clinicians review existing medical records and provide a 1-page letter describing any recommendations. 
• Volunteer - If you are a licensed medical or mental health professional interested in volunteering, please complete the FME Volunteer Evaluator Interest Form

Our navigation is unique nationally in its culturally and linguistically responsive approach, staff retention, sustainability and more than 10-year history. Refugee, Immigrant, and Newcomer Health Services Navigation, which remains grant-funded and project-based, serves our patients throughout the Denver Health enterprise including Ambulatory Care Services and the Public Health Institute, and currently includes three navigators and two project specialists, who collectively speak Amharic, Arabic, English, French, Karen, Kikongo, Lingala, Maay Maay, Somali, Spanish, and Swahili.

Refugee, Immigrant, and Newcomer Health Services Navigation’s multicultural, multilingual team also provide cultural consultation for research and patient care efforts at Denver Health and nationally.

Denver Health is a site for the Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health, contributing to national efforts to improve health care delivery for refugee, immigrant and newcomer communities. This work includes multiple publications, abstract presentations, workshops and webinars. We have demonstrated improvement in medical home connection, developmental screening and referrals, COVID-19 vaccination, and cancer screening rates.

• We are committed to hiring, training, and career promotion of a workforce that shares the life experience and culture of Denver Health’s patients.
• We provide clinical rotations for residents and students interested in learning more about health care for RIN communities.