PENNSYLVANIA REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM

STATE PLAN AMENDMENT

EMERGENCY OPERATIONAL PLANNING FOR PANDEMIC INFLUENZA  

Introduction

            The Pennsylvania Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) hereby amends its State Plan to include an Emergency Operational Plan in the event of Pandemic Influenza.  This amendment once received and approved by the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), will hereafter be found as an addendum to the existing State Plan.

The RRP is in the very beginning stage of a collaborative effort with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) through two key offices under the latter’s departmental umbrella.  Through discussions with relevant staff in the Bureau of Community Health Systems (BCHS) and the Office of Public Health Preparedness (OPHP), the RRP unit has identified the need to establish a working relationship with these offices to provide ORR with forward direction in emergency operational planning for refugees. 

Activities include “first-steps” planning, stakeholder notification, regional meetings, workgroup formation and reporting, and information dissemination to result in the creation of a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).           

Program Access and Involvement in Governmental Planning

            Through established contact with DOH, the RRP will collaborate with, and contribute to any relevant summits, forums, stakeholder meetings, planning, and implementation for emergency preparedness.  In particular, the OPHP has invited staff from the RRP to attend and participate in their Special Populations Initiative which will directly address the needs of all disadvantaged persons throughout Pennsylvania , including refugees who may be physically restricted and/or have Limited English Proficiency (LEP). 

Assurance of Represented Refugee Populations in Emergency Planning

            Using the Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System Network (WRAPSNET) to identify arriving groups, the RRP will prepare refugee demographic profiles for DOH.  Staff in the RRP has already indicated to DOH that certain refugee populations such as the Somali Bantu may require special assistance due to evident physical health issues upon arrival.  Demographic, cultural, and religious affiliation data of refugee groups that have resettled to Pennsylvania in the last 60 months will also be made available to DOH.  The RRP will provide this all-encompassing approach to assist in narrowing the margin of error when considering the target population. 

Avenues for Refugee Involvement in Preparedness Planning

            With DOH approval, refugee clients will be invited to and involved in the Special Populations Initiative by sharing information relative to their ethnic backgrounds, personal experiences, and any specific requirements they may have if being informed that an emergency operation is being activated.  Special attention will be placed on cultural and linguistic sensitivity for all refugee populations.

Implementing Public Health Measures

            National voluntary agencies with affiliate-office refugee programs in Pennsylvania address the need for infection control by seeking preventive health screenings for refugee clients within the first 30 days of resettlement.  The RRP defers to DOH’s Regional Health Coordinators that oversee statewide health centers, and have a plan prepared for all residents of Pennsylvania .  The health centers are located in nearly every county with District Offices in Jackson Center , Williamsport , Wilkes-Barre , Reading , Harrisburg , and Pittsburgh .  Practices such as personal hygiene habits to help avoid the spread of infectious disease will be regularly discussed with refugee clients through contracted service providers. 

Information Dissemination

            The RRP will disseminate emergency planning to its refugee communities in the following manner:

• Supplying handouts (translated into principal refugee languages) from DOH concerning Pandemic Influenza, safety measures, treatment resources, and informational pamphlets that list the locations of health centers across the state.  The RRP contracts with the City of Philadelphia to provide medical interpretation on site should refugees with LEP require that service.

• Sharing information regarding impending pandemic influenza strains that may affect humans with service providers.  Regular regional meetings with providers will be venues for relaying new Pandemic Influenza information from all significant government and media sources.  Pending DOH resources and approval, training will be performed for provider staff to ensure the effective carrying out of the RRP’s devised COOP. 

• Providing the DOH website as an informational resource for refugees capable of such methods.

• Up-to-the-moment printable internet materials for those who may receive information through outreach means in the form of leaflets, flyers and brochures.

• Informative insertions in ethnic newspapers and other publications distributed in highly refugee-occupied urban areas will also be practical resources for reaching the population.  Utilizing large-scale media sources to broadcast and publish operational information will be coordinated in conjunction with DOH methods as pertains to communication with special needs populations.

The Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)

            In the event that an Emergency Operational Plan is executed within Pennsylvania , delegating authority rests on the State Refugee Coordinator in the Department of Public Welfare (DPW), Office of Income Maintenance (OIM). 

            Following the receipt of a DOH warning that an emergency has occurred, the delegate will inform the RRP to advise refugee clients to immediately practice safety measures and to seek medical attention if needed.   Provider agency staff will be on-call to assist with questions and concerns as they pertain to specific refugee issues and refugee-focused mental health referrals.

Contact Information:

Norm-Anne Rothermel, State Refugee Coordinator
Bureau of Employment and Training Programs
Office of Income Maintenance
900 North Sixth Street
Harrisburg , Pennsylvania 17102
Telephone: (717) 787-8608