NCHD issues Public Health Order
The Northeast Colorado Health Department Board of Health took steps last week to get ahead of public health concerns related to migrant resettlement.
A release from NCHD Friday said the board approved a new Public Health Order signed by Public Health Director Trish Mcclain during a special meeting March 14. The order outlines requirements and guidance for organizations that might offer temporary shelter to migrant persons within the six-county health district.
According to NCHD spokesperson Rachel Shwayder, the move came about as county commissioners who make up the board have been hearing about the topic in other meetings they’ve attended around the state.
“The Board of Health wanted to be proactive,” Shwayder said.
The order notes the health department’s duties in overseeing public health, including preventing the spread of communicable diseases and other issues.
“Given that migrant communities, including asylum seekers, and especially children, are a particularly vulnerable population, concerns for their safety and protection when it comes to issues such as housing, food safety, and emergency preparedness are of utmost importance,” the NCHD release notes. “This PHO outlines how best to protect and maintain the health of resident communities as well as ensuring any migrant persons that are relocated to this region are able to access any needed resources with the assistance of the entity that helped them to relocate.”
Under the order, requirements of program operators seeking to locate migrant persons in the region include providing NCHD with plans outlining the measures to address health and safety, including safe and appropriate housing, medical response to emergencies and reporting communicable diseases.
Migrant populations can come from places where vaccination is not the norm, Shwayder said, and the order seeks to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases by recommending providing vaccination against polio, measles, varicella and COVID-19 if necessary.
“Given that resources in the northeast region are limited, it is the responsibility of the Program Operator to ensure the needs of
the migrant persons in their care are met,” the NCHD states in the release.
Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control offers best practices for refugee health screening, some of which are based on the person’s home country.
“Most experts agree that testing for hepatitis B, HIV, and TB should be performed for all new immigrants and other nonrefugee migrants who do not have documentation of post-arrival screening,” the CDC website states.
Program operators are also required to have plans in place in case testing, isolation or quarantine is needed to protect public health.
“NCHD will make every effort to provide provide appropriate education and guidance to Program Operators in order for them to meet the obligations of the Order, and will issue warnings prior to seeking legal enforcement,” the release states.
For more information, visit nchd.org or call 877795-0646.