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Milwaukee health staff describe refugee screening clinics, home visits and interpreter services
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Summary
City health staff outlined annual refugee screening clinics that provide TB tests, chest X‑rays, blood tests, immunizations and home visits with interpreters; staff said state grants and community partners support nutritional incentives and follow‑up care connections.
Milwaukee public‑health staff described an annual refugee screening clinic for newcomers from Southeast Asia, Bosnia and Somalia that uses state grants to fund TB screening, chest X‑rays, blood tests for hepatitis and syphilis, liver function testing, immunizations and an initial health survey. According to presenters, refugee families typically receive a TB skin test and chest X‑ray on first visit and return for a second visit when staff can review results and determine whether someone has active tuberculosis or should be offered preventive treatment.
Health staff said the program includes follow‑up home visits by a district nurse accompanied by an interpreter who explains screening results and provides two copies of documentation — one for the family and one for the family's medical provider — and helps locate a culturally sensitive primary‑care provider for ongoing care. Staff emphasized that the home‑visit model and interpreter support improve understanding of care instructions and medication adherence.
An interpreter identified in the proceedings as Tu Shong, who the transcript says came to Milwaukee in 1980 after fighting with U.S. forces in Laos, described his role helping families bridge cultural and language gaps: "I can explain what my culture, and I can tell exactly what we need to do and what the doctor want to do." The transcript also names another interpreter (Nautu) as assisting clinicians with several Asian languages.
Speakers described an "incentive room" at the South Side Clinic that distributes food and clothing purchased through Second Harvest, funded by an American Lung Association grant, to patients who often face poor nutrition. Staff said food and supplements provided through that program help promote adherence to long courses of TB therapy and protect both refugee families and the broader Milwaukee community by screening for communicable diseases soon after arrival.
The presentation stressed that the refugee screening services are part of broader public‑health protection: early detection and treatment reduce risk to the community while connecting families to ongoing care. The session included an explanation of documentation and referral processes used to support continuity of care for newly arriving families.
Next steps noted by presenters included continuing home‑visit follow‑up with interpreter support and maintaining partnerships with community sponsors such as Lutheran Social Service and Catholic Social Service to guide arrivals to the clinic.
