Provides guidance to resettlement agencies and other social service providers in the United States in their efforts to help enroll eligible immigrants and children of immigrants in Medicaid and other low-cost health insurance programs. The guide is designed to raise awareness about the availability of both Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and to create more enrollment opportunities for legal immigrant families. Sections of the guide: (1) provide basic information about immigration and why access to health care is important; (2) discuss the barriers and challenges that immigrant families must surmount in obtaining health coverage for their children, including language confusion and distrust of government; (3) clarify ways in which use of health care and other benefits does not jeopardize families’ attempts to change their immigration status; (4) offer tips for creating a tolerant environment in which immigrants families can feel comfortable seeking assistance, including discarding cultural stereotypes, respecting family privacy, and enlisting appropriately trained interpreters; and (5) highlight strategies for boosting enrollment in Medicaid and SCHIP of low-income, immigrant populations, including streamlining the application process. Also contains a glossary of terms and an appendix.
