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The Health & Social Services Department Staff supports SEAMAAC's mission by continuing to serve refugee and immigrant families and communities to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers in order to improve the quality of their lives through education such as ESL, health promotion, information & referral, case management, advocacy, community programs, and collaboration with other health care and social service providers.
SEAMAAC’s HOPE Program facilitates access to prenatal, postpartum and infant health care for culturally and linguistically isolated Southeast Asian and West African women and infants and provides support to immigrant/refugee families during pregnancy and after birth. Our program targets low-income pregnant women who are at risk for pregnancy complications and/or poor child health outcomes due to lack of health insurance, language/cultural barriers that prevent access to health care and/or high-risk pregnancy. We currently serve ethnic Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese and West African families. SEAMAAC’s bi/multilingual and bicultural outreach workers provide accompaniment, interpretation, education, and case management services to participating clients/families. We help pregnant women obtain prenatal care and we ensure that infants receive regular well-baby care and immunizations. In addition to assistance at medical and other appointments as needed, each client/family receives two home visits per month. We provide clients with education and information on a variety of topics (including nutrition, breastfeeding, healthy pregnancy, child safety, parenting, emotional health, and resources) and conduct regular home safety assessments. We aim to remove some of the barriers that limit our clients’ access to health care by helping them to improve their English skills (by referring them to classes and encouraging them to attend our weekly Drop-In Center); develop knowledge regarding local health care resources; acquire health information in their own languages; and develop confidence navigating the City’s public transit system. We also support the families’ health and well-being more generally by providing case management to address a wide range of needs, including housing, child care, cribs and child seats, WIC, Medical Assistance and CHIP. Contact Information:
Drop-In CenterSince November 2008, SEAMAAC has hosted a weekly “Drop-In Center” or for Southeast Asian women. Originally funded by the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, the Drop-In Center offers Southeast Asian women a regular program of exercise (yoga), social/cultural activities, and workshops on health and other topics while children participate in play and learning activities. Drinks and snacks are provided, often prepared by participants themselves. The Drop-In Center is held at SEAMAAC’s main office at the Castle Street side entrance of 1711 S. Broad Street on Wednesdays between 12pm and 2pm. Drop-In Center participants identify topics they are interested in learning about through workshops. Workshop topics have included: obtaining health insurance, dental care for infants/young children (including the provision of free dental checkups for children and adults), HIV/AIDS, Intimate partner violence, talking to your children about healthy dating relationships, breastfeeding and newborn baby care, dealing with common childhood illnesses, accessing food stamps, health literacy, birth control options, and computer training. Besides offering important information on health and other topics, the Drop-In Center is a place where women and children can make friends, practice their English, socialize and learn new skills. Contact Information:
The mission of this program is to substantially increase the number of immigrant/refugee children and families who are enrolled in public benefits. IBEP components include: staff training and professional development; community education; case management; agency-wide coordination and tracking of benefits enrollments; and advocacy. All immigrant/refugee communities are eligible to participate in IBEP. We partner with a number of other organizations, including Community Legal Services and PICC, to advocate for our clients and to resolve public benefits appeals. Contact Information:
This program provides supportive counseling including the provision of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to Mandarin and Cantonese-speakers who are interested in quitting smoking. We follow the "Quit Smoking Comfortably: A Different Approach to Smoking Cessation" curriculum, a Comprehensive Smoking Treatment Program designed at the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, outreach and educational workshops are conducted to inform community members about the harmful health impacts of tobacco, and to recruit for cessation counseling. Contact Information:
SEAMAAC offers social services, community-based programs, special events, and intergenerational programming for Southeast Asian seniors. Specific Projects include:
Contact Information:
Breast Health Awareness and Cancer Prevention ProgramFunded by the Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, this program provides breast health education through an adaptation of the Friend-to-Friend model. Through small groups led by Peer-Educators, Indonesian, Chinese, and Vietnamese women learn about breast health and the importance of yearly mammograms. These women are then supported to obtain free mammograms, clinical breast exams, and pap smears at local medical providers. Contact Information:
Lead Safe Babies/Lead Safe Communities ProgramThis program targets Indonesian, Chinese, West African, Cambodian, or Burmese pregnant women or those with children under 3 years old. Outreach staff conduct lead swipes in these families’ homes. A “super clean” from the Health Department is scheduled for families with elevated lead levels. Additionally, staff provide cleaning supplies, and referrals for other Healthy Homes initiatives through this program. Contact Information:
This program provides breast health education through an adaptation of the Friend-to-Friend model. Through peer-led small groups, Indonesian, Chinese, and Vietnamese women learn about breast health and the importance of yearly mammograms. These women are then connected to free mammograms, clinical breast exams, and pap smears. Contact Information:
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