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St. Paul, MN 55114
Phone: 651.642.1904
Fax: 651.642.1517
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Email: info@mncn.org
| Every year Minnesota accepts thousands of immigrants and refugees from all over the world. This year, 2004, is no exception. Minnesota is estimated to increase it's population by 70,000 people. In 2003, the United States Department of State decided that they would allow resettlement of the Hmong refugees that live in the Wat Tham Krabok in Thailand. There are an estimated 15,000 refugees who live at this site. Minnesota is ranked second in the nation (45,443) of total Hmong population. The city of Saint Paul is ranked first (26,509) in the nation of total Hmong population. This created a unique situation here in Minnesota. Due to the large number of Hmong families that live in Minnesota and because Minnesota is a "family reunification state" (this means only refugees who have family relatives who live in MN can sponsor them to come live in MN), there was a probability that many of the refugees who lived in Thailand would end up here in Minnesota. With hundreds of Hmong refugees anticipating to arrive in the latter half of the year. nonprofits, foundations, and communities need to prepare and collaborate on how to best provide quality services to all refugees and immigrants that come to Minnesota. The Wat Resettlement Working Group has produced a report and was issued on July 2, 2004. The name of the report is "Wat Resettlement Working Group Report: Recommendations for Community Action". (Available in PDF format) Recommendations were made on seven sub-groups: resource, housing, workforce development, education, health, mental health, and public safety. Available resources and organizations with programs to help the Hmong refugees are included. For more information regarding this report, please contact Ilean Her or Chao Lee. Public Meeting Sponsored by Ramsey County and St. Paul Mayoral Thailand Delegation A public meeting was held on April 28, 2004 at Harding High School in St. Paul. Mayor Randy Kelly was present as was many of the delegates that went to Thailand. Copies of the official report was available for attendees and is also available at Ramsey County's website (www.co.ramsey.mn.us/THAILAND) and below in PDF format. Opening remarks were made by Ramsey County Commissioner Jim McDonough and Mayor Randy Kelly. Official findings about health, mental health, social services and education were disclosed. The report should be used as a tool to help nonprofits, foundations, and other agencies to help them assess their organizational capacity and how to best prepare in working with the Hmong refugees. The meeting was taped and will air in the near future on City Channel and local county cable access channels. Wat Tham
Krabok Executive Summary More events on the Hmong Refugees... More than 400 nonprofit, government and community representatives gathered on March 23, 2004 to discuss the impact of the resettlement of potentially thousands of Hmong refugees from Thailand to local communities. Due to the overwhelming response and space constraints, some were not able to attend the briefing. Information that was presented at the briefing is available below. You can also view the briefing in full via Web cast and through St. Paul cable television station, St. Paul Neighborhood Network, Channel 19. If you would like further information about the Hmong Refugee Resettlement Briefing or information presented at the briefing, please contact Bao Vang, MCN executive assistant, at bao@mncn.org or 651-642-1904. If you or your organization would like to be more involved in helping the Hmong refugees, please contact Tom Kingston, Wilder Foundation at twk@wilder.org, 651-642-4048 or Ilean Her, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, 651-296-0538, kao.ly.her@state.mn.us. The featured speakers:
Handouts from the briefing
Web cast and cable broadcast of March 23 briefing
The briefing will also be broadcast on St. Paul Neighborhood Network, Channel 19 in St. Paul. Broadcast dates are April 8 at 6 pm, April 10 and April 11 at 7 pm, April 15 at 6 pm, and April 17 and April 18 at 7 pm. DVD and VHS videos of
the briefing are available upon
request for a $15 fee. For more
information about ordering a DVD or
VHS, contact Bao Vang or purchase
the video with a credit card at MCN's online secure store.
Events and Working Groups on Immigrant and Refugee issues Wat
Resettlement Working Group Chao Lee The next meeting for the Wat Resettlement group is scheduled for June 16, 2004 from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon at the International Institute of Minnesota. There is a health subgroup of the group mentioned above. It's focus is on larger health issues for the new arrivals. Anyone interested in on-going health issues that will relate to the new Hmong arrivals would be interested in this group. The last meeting hosted Rob Fulton and Mao Thao from St. Paul Ramsey County Dept of Public Health who spoke about the newly released final report from the Mayor's Delegation to Thailand. Contact for this group is Emily Williamson, Asian American Coordinator at MDH. Emily.Williamson@health.state.mn.us There is a subgroup focusing on health screening of the new arrivals. This group is very focused on procedures and clinical issues related to screening all refugees from the Wat. Persons interested in procedural or clinical issues related to screening this new population of refugees would be welcome. The group is discussing the possibility of hosting mass screening clinics and expanding the capacity of clinics that currently screen refugees to accommodate this large influx. The contact person for this group is Ann O'Fallon, Refugee Health Coordinator at MDH. Ann.Ofallon@health.state.mn.us Minnesota Multi-Housing Association Tina Gassman Hmong Mental Health Provider’s Network If you or your organization is convening a taskforce or holding an event to discuss collaborations or networks to support the Hmong refugees, please send the name of the group, the specific issue or service that will be discussed and contact information to Bao Vang. Links to Hmong and Asian Pacific Islander Nonprofits and Organizations Center for Asian and Pacific Islanders - www.capiusa.org Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans - www.state.mn.us/ebranch/capm Hmong American Partnership - www.hmong.org Hmong Cultural Center - www.hmongcenter.org Hmong National Development - www.hndlink.org
Links to recent media coverage of Hmong resettlement to Minnesota St.
Paul schools prepare for next wave of
Hmong immigrants Hmong
arriving in metro will look to kin to
take them in Agencies
Say They're Ready for Hmong
Resettlement Randy
Kelly: Hmong 'have added greatly' to
St. Paul Nonprofits
Gearing Up To Help Hmong Nonprofits
gearing up to help Hmong families Sizing
up the Hmong challenge Polygamy
a sticking point for US amid Hmong
resettlement HMONG
RESETTLEMENT: Proven drug addicts need
not apply St.
Paul mayor leading team to visit
refugees in Thailand St.
Paul mayor preparing to receive
thousands of Hmong refugees St.
Paul mayor tours Hmong refugee camp in
Thailand St.
Paul reaches out St.
Paul delegation visits Hmong refugee
camp St.
Paul mayor's delegation leaves for
Thailand Refugees'
needs are evaluated The
Hmong who are left behind Thailand:
Mayor's group arrives
This briefing was organized by: This briefing was co-sponsored by: Any Questions: Contact Bao Vang at 651-642-1904 ext 245. | |||
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