| Refugees are an everyday part of our global world. | | | | healthcare professional. This is done in an effort to |
| Unfortunately, there are regions of the world where | | | | identify medical conditions that require either additional |
| political unrest has brought desperation to the innocent | | | | follow up or that may constitute a threat to public |
| civilians caught in the middle of treacherous gunfire and | | | | health. There are a few serious conditions that may |
| warfare. For the individuals who flee their homes in | | | | render a refugee ineligible for US entry. |
| order to avoid certain death, refugee status has | | | | Security Clearance |
| allowed them to pursue new lives in other sovereign | | | | Security clearance is required for all individuals. |
| states. | | | | Depending upon to country of origin, the level of |
| Though the process, can be quite complex. Nearly | | | | clearance varies. A "name check" is submitted and |
| 80,000 individuals go through this process yearly. It | | | | crosschecked against the Federal Bureau of |
| begins with the submission of information to the | | | | Investigation's database of known terrorists and |
| Refugee Data Center (RDC) in New York. While in this | | | | criminal masterminds. The name is also checked |
| system, each person is matched with a voluntary | | | | against the State Department's database of people |
| reception and placement agency. | | | | who have been denied visas for entry to the United |
| Refugees must be briefed before entering the country. | | | | States in the Past. |
| The person has to understand that individuals are | | | | Cultural Orientation |
| expected to be self-sufficient while living in the United | | | | Cultural education is administered to individuals before |
| States. Within 2 years, the pre-travel conditions must | | | | they arrive in order to reduce the impact of culture |
| be met. They include: | | | | shock. Self-sufficiency is highly stressed as an integral |
| The Assurance Process | | | | part of the United States' cultural mentality. |
| The assurance process is the process by which the | | | | Once the pre-travel arrangements have been |
| volunteer resettlement organization notifies the | | | | executed, the individual may enter the United States. |
| Department of State that it is ready to receive the | | | | He may then begin resettlement in the United States. |
| refugee. The organization determines where the | | | | Within the first thirty days, the individual must apply for |
| individual will live, and also prepares appropriate housing, | | | | social security numbers, register his children into the |
| employment, and needed services. | | | | local schools, get a thorough medical evaluation, and |
| Medical Clearance | | | | enroll in comprehensive English Language Training. |
| All incoming individuals are screened by a trusted | | | | |