AIR DATE JUNE 23, 2022

Title: Refugee and Immigration Support in Central Florida

Over the years, central Florida has become home to many seeking asylum and a fresh start. Learn what resources are available to facilitate this move and how you can help.

Guests and Locations

Florida Immigrant Coalition, Refugee Organizer – Pierre Uwimana

Grace Medical Home, CEO – Stephanie Garris

Affordable Health Care Options and Support for Immigrants and Refugees in Central Florida

About 25% of people say they skip medical attention, even when needed, because of the cost. Older Millennials tend to avoid appointments the most, and 13% of respondents to a Bankrate survey on this subject said they didn’t have any health insurance.

The median income in Florida was just under $60,000 in 2019.

If it is challenging to access care when someone works full-time, I can only imagine how difficult it would be for immigrants or refugees who are just trying to stay on their feet financially.

I recently spoke with Stephanie Garris, CEO of Grace Medical Home in Orlando, about this unique challenge.

“Grace Medical Home is a non-profit medical practice for the low-income uninsured,” she told me. “We only see people who don’t have any insurance, don’t qualify for the Affordable Care Act, can’t afford it, and live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.”

Garris says that 97% of her organization’s patients have never had a regular doctor’s office visit. “They haven’t had a place to go to focus on prevention and wellness, and that’s precisely what we offer here,” she said.

Prevention Is the Key to Good Health

Garris told me that staying proactive about your health is critical to taking care of yourself. Outside of eating right and exercising, she suggests that people take a closer look at their mental health.

“We see anxiety and depression,” she said. “Our mental health visits are up 36% between last year and this year, and we offer a robust mental health counseling program for patients.”

Pierre Uwimana wishes that awareness and prevention were the only obstacles to accessing care, but he sees many more struggles within the immigrant and refugee communities in Central Florida.

Uwimana is the Refugee Organizer for the Florida Immigration Coalition. “[Refugees] face challenges of English, and they also have difficulties finding good jobs because of language limitations,” he told me. “Being in the new communities is another challenge because everything is new and they have to make dramatic adjustments.”

Political policies are another challenge that Uwimana recognizes as a barrier to caring for many immigrants and refugees. “I can cite the recent Governor DeSantis Executive Order and Emergency Rule that targets immigrants and minor children,” he said, “or the Title 42 that President Biden is using to limit Haitians and Central American asylum seekers.”

Direct Involvement Can Change a Person’s Life

Uwimana says there are numerous opportunities to volunteer or participate in organizations working with immigrants and refugees in our communities. If someone is interested, but doesn’t have time to get involved, a financial donation can change many lives.

Garris agrees. “We have to raise every dollar that we spend,” she told me. “We’re completely privately funded.”

About one out of every four patients at Grace Medical Home have one or more chronic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes. Garris also says that many are at risk for cardiovascular disease.

“We want to walk alongside our patients, lock arms with them, empower them, and let them know they that they can do it.”

More information about Grace Medical Home is available on their website at gracemedicalhome.org. For volunteer or donation opportunities with Florida Immigrant Coalition, you can visit floridaimmigrant.org.